I Fear the Hate that You Call Love
by LeonieBlaisie
Summary: Izaya was hired to collect information on Shizuo. To succeed, he must develop a mutual trust with his longtime enemy. Having forced himself into a tough situation, Izaya finds that he can't back out. Has karma finally caught up with this information broker? Warning, this contains content that isn't suitable for all audiences. Read at your own risk. (I'm bad with summaries, sorry.)
1. That's Equally as Dishonest

_Author's Note: Hello! In this chapter information broker, Izaya Orihara, and Awakusu leader, Dougen Awakusu, discuss Akane Awakusu. Apparently, she's run away from home again, and is in grave danger. Izaya tells Dougen he has Akane, and they decide to make a transaction. Things quickly escalate as the two meet behind the Sunshine 60 building. What'll occur? Continue reading to find out._

_This is the first fanfiction I have ever written, and its going to be a multi-chapter. These first few chapters will be explaining some of the backstory to this work of fiction, and will gradually become a twisted 'romance' between Izaya Orihara and Shizou Heiwajima. At the beginning of each chapter I will enclose a brief summary that doesn't include any spoilers._

_Update: I've recently realised that there aren't two exclamation points after Durarara in the disclaimer. I've attempted to fix it on multiple accounts, but the site isn't letting that happen. If you're as OCD as I am, then I apologize for the flaw. _

_That's all I have to say for now! I hope you enjoy what I've written, and thank you for your time._

* * *

The current, well-respected and feared head of the Awakusu carefully listened to the ramblings of the unknown man who had contacted him. He contemplated ending the call; having no interest in the motives of runaway children, he didn't understand how it had any vicinity. His thumb hovered over the red 'end call' button of his metallic phone until the name of one of his descendants surfaced into the monologue.

"My granddaughter?", he began. "She's no runaway, someone kidnapped her!" The large man growled into the phone, drawing it back up to his ear to listen. He analyzed the snide remarks on the other end before interrupting the man mid-sentence.

"Do you know where she is?", he impatiently asked, his worrying intensifying. Not that many days before his granddaughter's disappearance, he was anonymously informed that Russian assassins were targeting her, yet again. Was he currently on the phone with one? He didn't know.

"Oh," the younger man whispered in a riveting tone. "But of course. I have little Akane here with me now." He smirked against the radiating heat of one of his ten cell phones. "How else could I have your number, ne?"

"You're the one who kidnapped her! Aren't you?" he compulsively bellowed. The informant scoffed at the accusation he was just subjected to.

"Need I remind you she's a runaway?" He quickly spat back before altering his tone and continuing. "I found her." His sarcastic voice cooed through the phone's speaker. "I'll never forget the hopeless look on her face," he chuckled.

"Deliver her, immediately, or you will feel the wrath of the Awakusu."

"What is she, an item? Is that all humans are to you? Items?" he sternly but mockingly inquired. Although people were his playthings, he acknowledged that each individual was special in its own insignificant way. That's why he loved them. He wondered why this man cared so much for a ten-year-old girl who hadn't the slightest interest in becoming the successor of the precious family business.

"N-no, I-" Snapping back into reality, Izaya cut the man off before he could collect himself and finish his sentence.

"How far are you willing to go to take away my guinea pig?"

"As far as I need to go." He hadn't considered the consequences before speaking. He was loyal to those dear to him, and willing to do anything to ensure their safety. In the current situation, he hadn't the time to strategize. All he needed to do was retrieve Akane and bring her home.

"I request... ¥492200010!" He childishly shouted, flashing a grin upon hearing the surprised gasp on the other end. "Come get your petty little object behind Sunshine 60 in an hour, otherwise I'll hand her over to Slon." He promptly closed the phone with a loud clack before Dougen Awakusu could get another word in.

* * *

"How gullible." Izaya declared, moving a Shogi piece on his personalized chess board as silence filled the space around him. He slid his phone into the left pocket of his black jeans, slowly sliding his hand out before resting it on his hip for a few seconds.

"Best get going," he gleefully announced, pushing himself up off the black leather couch. He took leisurely footsteps towards the door; grabbing his trademark fur-trimmed coat as he twisted the gleaming knob and stepped out into an empty hallway. He pulled the sleeves over his thin, pale arms, the fabric clinging to whatever muscle it could find. Izaya was an agile man, skilled in parkour, bulky muscles would only slow him down.

After adjusting the hood so it would cast a shadow over his beautiful face, he shoved his hands into the coat's pockets. He guided his fingertips along the familiar handle of his flick-blade; grinning to himself as he silently started strolling the streets of Shinjuku.

* * *

'Why are humans so hasty to trust in the words of another? Never do they even consider requesting evidence or reasoning. They use whatever facts, tainted with misunderstandings and delusions as they may be, and use them to make sense of whatever predicament they're facing. How could they so carelessly decide? Emotional attachments cloud their minds, distracting them from what is important; evolving and surviving. That's how. And yet they wonder why disappointment dominates their lives. How on Earth can they think that somebody would tell them the straight truth?' Izaya lightly shook his head in at his thoughts. 'They don't think! Humans toss around their faith like its nothing. They don't investigate, they just shift their investments around. When others become involved, they lose the ability to think rationally! Hence the reason I don't concern myself with emotional attachments. It's easy for me to manipulate others that way. This is why I am above them; a god.' He chortled. "Such interesting creatures!" He shouted. "I love them! I love humans!"

Izaya frowned as he approached the Sunshine 60 building. His excited shouting didn't seem to affect anyone. What did he expect? It was nearing midnight, and though he was notorious in Ikebukuro, civilians weren't exactly educated about his interests and probably thought he was nothing more than a mere drunk. Sighing, he shrugged it off and quickened his pace.

* * *

Once behind the 60-story skyscraper, he stood next to a dumpster, and grabbed his cellphone from his pocket. He jerked it backwards, then forwards, flipping it open, and checked the time. It was 12:07, he was two minutes late for his own appointment, and there was no sign of Dougen.

"What a nuisance." He hissed to himself; wondering if it was really worth all the trouble to tempt a new set of people into a similar quandary they had already survived. Of course it was! He hadn't felt the joy of plunging people into miserable and chaotic situations in months. 'I'm curious to see what the faces of mankind that I have yet to discover, have to offer.'

"It's worth it." He muttered, stopping himself from over-thinking like one of his test subjects. 'I am above the self-destruction of doubt.', he reminded himself.

* * *

He glanced at his phone once more before placing it back into his pocket. Six minutes had passed. Where was this guy? Wasn't he concerned about his granddaughter? Izaya grunted before hearing heavy footsteps draw closer to where he was standing. He peered out from behind the dumpster and carefully surveyed the man who was standing no more than ten feet away from him.

He was tall with short dark hair, his faint sideburns eased into a rough beard that suited his facial structure. Crows feet wrinkles and laugh lines carved lines into his face, they complimented his gentle copper eyes. Oddly enough, he had a bit of a 'Santa Claus' vibe to him. Bits of metal were embedded into his skin that reflected the rays of a nearby street light. Izaya assumed they were something like battle scars from the man's many years of service to the Awakusu. Were these scars a sign of weakness, or were they a warning? He wasn't sure.

Dougen was a heavy man, but even so you could see his muscles. A light polo shirt, one size too large, draped over his torso. A blazer and well-fitting khakis complimented the shirt. His outfit was pleasantly contrasted with a dark belt, dark business shoes, a silver watch, and a silver chain that hung around his neck.

Izaya was somewhat shocked by his appearance, he was expecting him to be dressed in a suit, not whatever this was. He was suddenly reminded that the Awakusu used their art gallery as a legal cover up for their underground connections. He was no longer surprised by the attire.

* * *

"Hello? Akane, are you here?" Dougen bluntly asked shattering the silence.

"Yes grandpa-kun, I'm here." Izaya squeaked in an insensitive, high-pitched voice, stepping out from behind the dumpster; not leaving the shadow's perimeter. He stared, fixated on the man in front of him, analyzing his facial expressions. Wow, wasn't he furious? Izaya forced a shrill giggle to escape from him as he covered his mouth like an immature schoolgirl.

"Your face was priceless, grandpa-kun" he mocked, watching a speechless Dougen reach for something in his pocket. Izaya immediately dropped the act and plastered another poker-face over his expressions. He effortlessly drew his flick-blade from his right jacket pocket and fearlessly rushed towards him. Before the head of Awakusu could even get a decent grip on the loaded gun, the crafty information broker had the blade lightly pushed against his throat.

"Not so fast, you trigger-happy old man." The corners of his mouth twitched vertically as he watched the man take a nervous gulp. 'Weakness.' He decided in his mind. 'Those were scars that came with weakness.' Izaya's auburn eyes gleamed with malicious intent. He spoke slowly, hoping his words would sting his victim's pride.

"Is a big bad man like you really afraid of a guy like me?" He paused for a second, waiting for a reaction that never came. He frowned as he pushed the blade closer to the tan skin of the other man and reached for the gun in his pocket. He felt a quick jab to the stomach as his fingers laced around the guns handle. He stumbled backwards, nearly falling, but he managed to take possession of the gun and hold his balance.

"That's not very nice, kneeing the man who holds the key to your granddaughter's fate." He teased.

"Where is she?" He impatiently barked. "You said you'd bring her!"

"I'm not the kind of guy you should blindly put your faith in." He shrugged. "Your little girl isn't here, she's staying with an associate of mine." He faked a smile, attempting to reassure the man that Akane was safe.

"You lied to me." Dougen mumbled in disbelief, attempting to collect himself.

"You planned to kill me. Personally, I feel that's equally as dishonest." Izaya shrugged once more, and looked up at the man. Interlocking eyes. "Now I plan to kill you." He smiled once more before aiming the gun for the man's right temple. He planned to nick it, hoping it would pass as a failed assassination. Then, without hesitation, he pulled the trigger and an ear shattering bang consumed the atmosphere. A loud thud followed, the rushing of footsteps, and then silence.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not have any ownership over the original plot of Durarara!, its characters, or anything else that relates to the story. I did not write this in search of profit, nor did I write it in the pursuit of fame. I'm simply a fan who greatly admires the end product of Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and whoever else's collaboration. Thank you.**


	2. You're the Monster

_Author's Note: Hello! In this chapter Shizuo Heiwajima discovers that Dougen Awakusu has been murdered. As he suspected, Izaya Orihara is the culprit. Why would he suddenly commit such a harsh crime? Continue reading to find out._

_I plan to write a new chapter for this story every other day, but I'll often update early. It's not like I have a 'life' or anything to get back to. __This chapter was more challenging to compose, hence why it is shorter, but I seriously don't plan on making the chapters I release early shorter than all the others._

_That's all I have to say for now! __I hope you enjoy what I've written, and thank you for your time._

* * *

One foot after another pounded into the asphalt at a quick, steady rhythm. Light panting further endorsed the normality of the tempo. Wind streaked through the soft, raven colored locks of hair and underneath the jacket that loosely clung to the aerodynamic body. The desert sand colored fur of his jacket flailed behind him as he jutted through the crowded streets of Ikebukuro. The echos of howling laughter bouncing off the ostentatious buildings around him, startling people into forming a pathway for him. 'Aha! It was all too easy!' Izaya yipped as he rushed into an alleyway reaching for his cellphone. Not too far behind him was a certain blonde protozoan.

* * *

"IZAAAAAAYA-KUN!", an unmistakable raspy voice roared. The sound of metal being crushed and manipulated came after the agitated scream. A noisy gust of wind that came from the force exerted by such massive metals being thrown followed.

'It really is too easy,' thought Izaya as he dodged the vending machine hurling towards him. It crashed into a brick wall, sending cracks up it before collapsing, scattering bits and pieces in all directions. A cloud of dust polluted the air, masking the presence of anyone within its radius.

Wasting no time on his escape, the smaller man jogged back the way he came. He hid among the debris for as long as he could. Escaping was such an elementary task when being detected was difficult. Once he arrived at a pristine cross walk, Izaya glanced over his lean shoulder. Shizuo was gaining fast. He broke into a sprint, attempting to gain a little more distance.

"Ah! Shizu-chan, what a pleasant surprise!" He cheerfully called back to his nemesis.

"Shut your face, flea!" He called back, throwing a previously parked bicycle at him. Izaya effortlessly dodged the small mode of transportation.

"Make me," he teased, sticking out his tongue prior to turning and slapping his rump. He darted into another alleyway, and quickly climbed the fire escape that scaled up the building.

"I-ZA-YA!" Shizuo roared again, jostling the fire escape and breaking it. Sending it crashing into the hard surface several feet below.

"Need you be so destructive, ne?" Izaya hissed, tumbling to the ground and hastily getting back up. He darted for the back of the Sunshine 60 building. Step two of his plan was underway.

* * *

Izaya bolted faster than most thought possible, his legs leaping forward great lengths, each foot only making contact with the concrete for a mere fraction of a second. He was far ahead of Shizuo, leaving him plenty of time to dive behind the dumpster that had witnessed the 'accidental' murder of Dougen Awakusu. It also gave him enough time to open his phone's camera application for standby.

Shizuo's silhouette appeared, angrily heaving. His eyes scanned the area. They were in pursuit of Izaya's untraditional jacket or his manipulative stare. Something was caught by his peripheral vision. His honey colored eyes redirected their focus and lingered over a large body that lay sprawled across a dirtied surface. Taking a few steps forward, Shizuo crouched next to the man, not letting his guard down. This could undoubtedly be one of Izaya's tricks.

He tensed and widen his eyes as he observed the blood trickle from the man's temple. It wasn't like Shizuo hadn't seen a dead body before, but he hadn't been exposed to this much blood in a long while. 'What the hell happened here? Why is this guy dead?' Shizuo silently questioned before standing up. 'Is the guilty party still here?' He scanned the shadows and caught a glimpse of a reflective surface. It was a gun, he sauntered up to it.

'That's right Shizu-chan, pick up the gun...' Izaya snapped a photo as soon as Shizuo had the gun in his large hands. Now that the flash of the camera had revealed his location, Izaya rushed out of the shadows over to Dougen's body. He snapped another photo, capturing the gruesome glory in front of him.

"D-did you killed this man?" Shizuo stuttered, the gun still in his hand. Izaya was a lot of horrible, horrible things, but he wasn't a murderer. At least, he didn't think he was. Was this his first kill? Had he killed before? The bodyguard's mind buzzed with questions. What was going on?

"I didn't kill him." Izaya said, taking a step forward. Shizuo took a step back, intimidated by the flea for the first time. After a moment's hesitation, he forced himself to take two steps forward. He wasn't going to let this freak get the best of him.

"What do you take me for Shizu-chan?" He chirped in an offended manner. "A monster?" He innocently suggested. He narrowed his eyes. "You're the monster," he spat, "after all, you killed him." Izaya shook his phone from side to side. "All the proofs right here!" He flashed a grin and spun around, fleeing the crime scene once again.

"WAIT, WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU SAY?" Shizuo yelled, dropping the gun. He took off running after the man he hated. 'This isn't happening', he thought. 'There's no way I'm getting my ass thrown in jail again for some bullshit I didn't even do.'

* * *

As he ran, Izaya tucked away the phone that contained the 'evidence' in his left coat pocket, the one that concealed his flick-blade. He pulled another phone out, identical in appearance, and closely guarded it. He was running out of breath, Shizuo would soon catch up to him any second and surely destroy whatever phone his neanderthal brain assumed had the photos. There was no way Izaya would let that freak surpass the efforts of a god.

* * *

A trash bin smashed into the smug face of vulnerable young man. He groped at the wall behind him, trying to say on his feet, but the impact had taken a toll, he couldn't stand for the time being, so he sat. A rampaging man approached the informant and kicked him square in the face.

"Give me that fucking phone, louse." He commanded.

"Get on you knees and bow, you fucking peasant." Izaya spit the blood from his mouth at his attacker's shoes and smirked. Shizuo kicked him again.

"I'm not fucking around, give. It. To. Me."

"Alright alright alright." He huffed, tossing the phone far enough where Shizuo had to leave him unattended to retrieve it. The blonde growled, but went ahead and picked up the phone. As soon as he had his back turned, Izaya hopped up and opened his flick-blade. Shizuo heard the faint woosh sound as it catapulted and dodged it, but it still managed to scratch his face. Shizuo didn't even flinch. He just stood there, menacingly glaring at Izaya as he let the sweaty blood run down his face and trickled down his neck. Izaya daringly stared back, not the least bit frightened or intimidated. He knew Shizuo wouldn't attack.

The wielder of the flick-blade shifted his stance and lightly waved goodbye. "Seems you got lucky Shizu-chan!" Izaya called as he trotted back towards Shinjuku, knowing he wouldn't be followed. He knew without a doubt that Shizuo would be preoccupied celebrating what he thought to be his first victory against the one who attempted to frame him for murder once more.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not have any ownership over the original plot of Durarara!, its characters, or anything else that relates to the story. I did not write this in search of profit, nor did I write it in the pursuit of fame. I'm simply a fan who greatly admires the end product of Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and whoever else's collaboration. Thank you.**


	3. Substantial Amount of Evidence

_Author's Note: Hello! In this chapter Shizuo Heiwajima believes he has dodged a bullet, and carries on with his normal-everyday life. Meanwhile Izaya has sent his 'evidence' to an Akane Awakusu. What will she do with it? Continue reading to find out._

_This is the last bit of the backstory; after this chapter I will officially begin developing Izaya and Shizuo's relationship. I will also enclose a general recap of the back story to clear up any confusion in the next chapter._

_That's all I have to say for now! I hope you enjoy what I've written, and thank you for your time._

* * *

"All that's left is to print it!" Long, powerful legs pushed off of the computer desk and sent the wheels of a large swivel chair coasting across the hardwood floors of the apartment. He stretched his arms over his head and positioned them behind his neck and sighed with a cat-like yawn.

"Who knew photo editing took so long, even in today's day and age?" He rhetorically asked. Izaya had just spent four hours editing the two photos he had taken with his cellphone's camera the night before. The lighting in the area that brought up the rear of the Sunshine 60 building was horrible when he began, so he had to adjust the contrast and brightness of both photos in preparation for applying the night-vision filter. That way it was possible to decipher what he had captured. Afterwards he merged the two photos into one; making it seem as if he had caught the perfect shot of a poorly executed assassination.

The end product showed Shizuo with the reloadable murder weapon pointed in the general direction of Dougen's dead body. Wide, honey colored eyes that looked like they were on the brink of insanity intensified the artificial grin he wore. It wasn't exhilarating editing in Izaya's opinion, but it was the best he could do. He was an underground informant, not a glorified photoshop utilizer. Despite the project's subtle tackiness, he was positive that Akane would fall for what was so obviously staged.

* * *

'That was a close call last night. I could be rotting away in some cramped, shitty little jail cell right now, rather than roaming the streets of East Ikebukuro with Tom-san in search of apartment 23A was it? Ah, I don't know, but I'm damn glad to be here.' He drew the lit Mevius cigarette away from his faded peach colored lips, calmly blowing smoke rings into the air. He looked through the center of each ring, today was pretty day. The sky was a bold light blue that contrasted well against the wispy gray. 'I'm lucky to have destroyed that fucking phone before the flea handed it over to the authorities, or worse. Whoever the new successor of the Awakusu was.' He took another puff of his cigarette glancing over at Tom through his indigo-tinted sunglasses. Tom met his kōhai's brief gaze with a gentle smile.

"What's got you in such a good mood today?"

"I foiled one of the flea's little schemes." He grinned to himself, quite proud.

Tom raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What scheme might that be? It doesn't have anything to do with the murder of Dougen Awakusu, does it?" The debt collector knew nothing of what went down the night before, he only knew that one fact. The television had broadcasted the information on every channel for a few hours this morning. The present-day head of the Awakusu, Mikiya, had managed to shut all the publicity down.

"Uh-um, no. It was something else." He wasn't sure why that comment had made him so nervous, he had destroyed the falsified evidence, hadn't he? Even if he didn't, there must be a way to prove Izaya was guilty. Then again, Shizuo didn't have any confirmation that Izaya even killed the poor man.

Tom was about to say something else on the matter when his permanently employed bodyguard hurriedly pointed out that they had arrived at the apartment.

* * *

Since running away from home, Akane's parents had kept a close eye on her. She wasn't allowed to leave the house under any circumstances, excluding retrieving the mail and disposing of the garbage. Even then, she wasn't permitted to leave her front yard. Her parent's weren't grudge-holding tyrants or anything, they just genuinely cared for their daughter. The Awakusu placed a high value on their family members and loyal associates. That's why they kept such adequate tabs on her. It wasn't that they didn't trust her, as much as they were just worried about her being targeted by Russian assassins again. Particularly after what happened to her grandfather only a day ago.

Akane missed going to school and attending martial arts classes with Mairu and Kururi Orihara, but most of all, she missed the art gallery. When she was oblivious the her family's true character, she had aspired to become a painter. She would practice in the storage rooms and display her work in the front windows for all to see. She hoped their positive themes made other people happy as happy as she was.

While she had a deep-rooted longing to go back to the charade her life once was, she was thankful for the times she got to go outside and feel the warmth of the sun on her skin. Today was a particularly pleasant day. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, and the temperature was perfect. She smiled, looking up at the sun as she collected the evening mail. Just like every other day, there were multiple letters and envelopes addressed to her father, Mikiya Awakusu. Today there was something unusual stuffed in the back of the mailbox though.

It was a small package with her name written on it in bold, black letters. There wasn't a return address printed anywhere on it, and that made her uneasy. She slipped it into pocket of her navy blue skort, regardless of her gut feeling. Nobody had bothered to send her anything in her entire life, she was curious. She couldn't help but be.

She placed the usual mail on the kitchen table and quickly made her way upstairs. She untied the light brown strings and pulled them off of the package. Akane then proceeded carefully open it, afraid of damaging whatever was inside. She was unpleasantly surprised by what she saw.

Proof that Shizuo Heiwajima had assassinated her grandfather.

* * *

The following morning Izaya had gotten an unexpected call.

"Uhm hello… This is Orihara Izaya, the information broker, yes?" The timid voice of a girl asked.

He nodded. "Yes, and to whom might I enjoy the pleasure, ne?" He purred into the phone, curious to see who was on the other end.

"Uhm, this is Akane Awakusu… I require your services." Auburn eyes widened in shock. 'Well I certainly wasn't expecting her of all people to call me. How did she get my number? That's not important, focus.' Izaya evaluated the situation before answering with a question.

"What is it you need information on?"

"Heiwajima Shizuo." She stated with authority before continuing. "Uhm, I have reason to believe he assassinated my grandfather. I don't have a substantial amount of evidence, and I was wondering if you could maybe acquire his motives or something?" Akane wasn't really sure what she was asking for. All she knew was the photo she received seemed altered somehow. She believed it was real, but she was doubtful that anyone else would. If Shizuo really was the one to blame for her family's grief, she wanted him dead or behind bars. A convincing story vital to making that happen.

'You have plenty of evidence, and you know you do too! Are you afraid that it isn't credible? You're correct to be afraid, those photos were staged and manipulated, but I'm the only one who needs to know that. I sent you that package so you could cause your own mischief and shift the blame farther away from me. It's not that difficult of a task, even for someone as young as you!' He suppressed his frustration so he could think level-headedly. 'This may not be according to plan, but surely I can make it work. Yes, yes! I'll use it as an opportunity to become better acquainted with the situations I've created.'

"It'll cost you," he decided to follow through with whatever risk he was taking here, "and I doubt an innocent thing like yourself has the amount of money I desire."

"I-I can pay for it, I assure you." She sound rather panicked for somebody who seemed so determined moments ago.

"¥151651200."

"W-what?!" She gasped, utterly blown away.

"You either agree to pay me now, or I hang up." He threatened.

"I'll pay you!" She blurted. "I'll even pay you before you give me the information. Just please don't hang up." 'That's not a very smart move squirt. Once I have the money, I won't have any legitimate need for you, and it's not like you would go and tattle either. I'm sure whoever you plan to borrow your money from wouldn't be very happy upon finding out you stole and gave away an entire fortune.'

"Alright, you have a deal."

They quickly discussed how Izaya would acquire the money, and how often she would be fed 'information.' Akane was to put all the money into a package marked 'fragile', and leave it inside the mailbox. Once he had the money, he vowed to tell her whatever he learned, as he learned it. He warned her that it wouldn't be often. That was all it took to convince Izaya Orihara to try to successfully infiltrate his absolute focus of hatred, Shizuo Heiwajima's life.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not have any ownership over the original plot of Durarara!, its characters, or anything else that relates to the story. I did not write this in search of profit, nor did I write it in the pursuit of fame. I'm simply a fan who greatly admires the end product of Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and whoever else's collaboration. Thank you.**


	4. Lets Be Friends

_Author's Note: Hello! In this chapter Izaya Orihara and Shizuo Heiwajima unexpectedly run into eachother at Russia Sushi. As expected, a chase ensues. Does it lead to a cutthroat battle, or perhaps a calm conversation between the two? Continue reading to find out._

_In case anyone is confused, Izaya was the one who had informed Dougen that Akane was being targeted by Russian assassins again. Dougen didn't know it was a lie because he was out of town doing business for a few days. Izaya said it had been assassins because Akane still thought Shizuo was one from their last encounter. That would make framing him for the murder all the easier. Obviously, Izaya was also the one to anonymously inform Akane about Shizuo being the murderer. Although Akane and Izaya had known each other from the past, she's never met with him face to face, so she has no idea that the Izaya Orihara she had hired was the Izaya she knew. Simply put, every single one of the apparent scandals are lies made up by Izaya for his own personal enjoyment. … I hope that wasn't too confusing, but if it was. I apologize._

_That's all I have to say for now! I hope you enjoy what I've written, and thank you for your time._

* * *

Deep in an untroubled sleep, Shizuo's chest rose and fell in response to his shallow breaths. Unkempt blond hair brushed against closed eyes. He was laying on his side, arms and legs draped over the side of the twin mattress he revisited nightly. It was rare to see the man in such a peaceful state.

He rolled over the edge, falling into the hardwood floor with an immense thud. He jolted awake, his eyes blinded by what sunlight the curtains couldn't block out. He grunted and sat up, cursing under his breath as he reached for a cigarette from the ashtray on his bedside table. He blindly groped at the surface and knocked the ashes onto himself. Roaring, he flipped the table.

"I just wanted a fucking cigarette." He growled, dusting himself off. He stood and stormed off to the bathroom; kicking whatever blocked his path into the walls on his way. 'Why can't I wake up on the bed for once?', he complained. It was a rare sight indeed, to see this man in a peaceful state.

* * *

He hurriedly adjusted the crisp bow tie of his bartender's uniform as he rushed down the main stairway of his apartment complex. Having woken up at 11:00, he was late for work. By the time he'd get to Tom's debt collecting agency he would be a total of four hours late. Shizuo figured he should contact his employer and clarify that he still planned on showing up today.

He turned on his cellphone and it buzzed with notifications. Tom had called him at 7:30 this morning and left a voicemail. He clicked it open and listened. 'Good morning! I'm calling to let you know that you have the day off… Business is a little slow today, so I'll be capable of handling myself.' There was a brief pause in the recording before it resumed. 'Considering you didn't pick up the phone, I bet you're glad that you don't have to show up today.' Tom inwardly chuckled. 'You woke up late didn't you Shizuo? You know, should really invest in an alarm clock… Anyways, sorry to bother you on your day off! I'll see you tomorrow at 8:00, on the dot. Don't be late. Goodbye.'

Shizuo shut his phone and placed it in the front right pocket of his pants. 'I'll head home then.' he thought, briefly glancing at flashing billboard above his head that displayed the time. It was a little later in the afternoon than he had expected, so he decided it would be in his best interest to have lunch at Russia Sushi. He wasn't a chef after all. In fact he didn't even have any groceries at home, besides a couple of gallons of milk.

* * *

"Periwinkle, would you like to disappear with me?" Izaya asked.

The young woman's heart raced as she read those words. This was her chance to leave this world, with someone who sympathized with her problems.

"Yes, I would." She keyed in. "Let's disappear together Nakura." She wearily smiled at the fluorescent screen. Finally, she could leave behind the suffering she had grown so used to.

"Meet with me at South Ikebukuro Park this afternoon. I want to show you something before we leave this wretched world behind."

"Mhm! Okay, I'll see you then. Thank you." She logged out of the chat room and confidently departed from her house. Heading for the designated location.

"You're welcome." Izaya smirked.

A few months ago, before she came across Nakura, 'Periwinkle' discovered her fiancé was cheating on her with another woman, who was already married. The exposure of such a revelation pushed her into a deep depression. She found herself wanting to die since then.

* * *

'Periwinkle' sat on a park bench and awaited for her companion's arrival. She was early, but still managed to grow impatient. She was eager to get her life over with. 'I wish they'd hurry. My roommate is probably almost home by now, she'll be worried when she realises I'm not there...' She repeated that thought to herself. 'Why am I concerned about that of all things? I'm going to die today.'

'I want to die.' She reassured herself. 'Don't I?' She doubted herself.

Suddenly her mind flooded with a new wave of emotions she hadn't experienced in what felt like years. 'I don't want to die! I've always loved life... I've only recently loved, him.' Her mind surged. 'I won't let him get me down, I bet that's what he wants.' She stomped her foot, the heel of her shoe making a stubborn click. 'No. I'm better than that. I'm better than him.' She stood up, and left South Ikebukuro Park.

* * *

"Nakura! Nakura!" She typed.

Izaya's phone vibrated in his pocket and he checked to see what had made it do so. It was a message from the girl he knew as Periwinkle. He opened it and replied.

"What is it? Where are you? It's 3:00."

"I know… I'm sorry… but, I've realised I don't, want to die."

"Oh," was all he typed. Disappointed that he could no longer play with her.

"Are you angry with me?" She asked.

"No, just curious on why you changed your mind." He could really care less, but there was a slim chance his words might cloud her mind with despair once more.

"I realised I'm better than the man who betrayed me. That my life is a wonderful, valuable thing. I shouldn't just toss it away when things get tough. Messaging back and forth with you slowly chipped away the pain I felt, and I thank you for that. It helped me reach this righteous conclusion! I think reconnecting with some of my friends from middle school might be a good idea. They'll probably have the same kind of impact you've indirectly had on me. If not more positive."

Izaya skimmed over her explanation and deleted the set of messages. "How cliché, how boring." He said aloud, already forgetting that he ever invested time into that woman's uneventful life. Closing his phone he decided he would pick up an order of fatty tuna from Russia Sushi on his way to his next appointment.

* * *

"Eat Russian Sushi. Sushi good for you." The massive black man in a traditional white and light blue Japanese outfit chanted as he shoved coupons and flyers into the faces of strangers. "Eat sushi!" His peculiar Russian accent startled people, causing them to flee. Simon frowned and accidently dropped a few flyers.

"Oi, Simon." Shizuo called, approaching the small, unorthodox restaurant.

"Shizuo, eat sushi. It's good." He shoved a flyer his way, pleased to see him.

"I plan to. Are there any specials today?" Shizuo glanced back, lingering around the entrance of Russia Sushi.

"Even on 50% off days, we don't serve human in our dishes."

"That's good to hear." He walked in and took a seat at the counter in front of the kitchen. Dennis promptly took Shizuo's order and served it moments later.

"Thanks." He paid the man for his services and drizzled a sweet and sour sauce over his meal. Taking small morsels into his chopsticks, he savored each bite. The sauce he added altered the flavor to something sweet, and that pleased Shizuo's child-like taste buds.

* * *

A decent amount of time passed before he finished. A decent enough amount of time for Izaya to call ahead and place his order; arrive at the restaurant; and exchange his money for the fatty tuna.

The informant stood beside the bodyguard's seat with a plastic bag in hand. Shizuo's presence elated him. Running into him here made his job all the more simple.

"Ah, Shizu-chan! Fancy seeing you here." He faked a smile and held up a hand as if he was waving.

The blond felt his blood pressure rise with aggravation. Why was this man everywhere? Hadn't he told him to stay the hell out of the city? He abruptly stood, knocking the chair out from under him. His hands gripped the counter as the memories from the event that had happened a two nights ago swam around in his mind.

"IZAAAAAAYA-KUN!" He split the counter in two and attempted to throw it.

"Really?" Izaya sighed. "Destroying a counter like that. What did it ever do to you?" He frowned.

"Shut up." He snarled, dropping the blocky hunk of counter and swinging a punch. Izaya easily dodged it and took a few steps back. He thanked Dennis for preparing his lunch and scampered out of the building. Bidding a farewell to Simon as he winded around a corner. Shizuo followed, blinded by a blur of rage.

* * *

They chased each other like cat and mouse for hours. Izaya never losing his lead and Shizuo never letting the raven leave his sight. The wreckage left from what came so naturally was supernatural. Vending machines lay scattered in the road; street signs poked from the sides of heavily damaged buildings; a trail of craters loosely stalked behind the pair. It wasn't until the sun began setting that they had disposed of all of their energy. Doubled over and panting from a lack of breath, the two bickered.

"I'd beat you within an inch of your gosh damned life, if I weren't so fucking tired.""

"Tired? The great Shizuo Heiwajima," he panted, "proclaimed strongest man in Ikebukuro, has been done in by a simple chase?" Izaya mocked. "How comical." He breathed. "You're really funny Shizu-chan." He shook his head, gradually becoming energized.

"What? The egotistical bastard Izaya Orihara isn't tired too?"

"Tired?" He scoffed. "Egotistical bastard?" He gasped. "Oh my, you're so cruel Shizuo!" He whined.

"Like hell I am." The blond took his hands off of his knees and straightened himself into a perfectly perpendicular posture. He rolled his shoulders a few times before landing an uncalled-for punch to Izaya's left cheek. Izaya drew his flick-blade and gracefully swiped at his opponents right cheekbone, directly below the scratch he gave him a few nights ago. The cut ran deep below his eye, blood spilling out of the wound and over his perfectly tan skin. Izaya whirled around and swiped again, aiming for his windpipe. He dodged the attack and retaliated by an elbow to the ribs. He stumbled backwards wincing in pain. Shizuo stepped forward to land another attack while his enemy was vulnerable, but Izaya rushed forward and drove the blade deep into the muscular man's shoulder. A cry of sheer pain filled the air around them. Auburn eyes gleamed with amusement upon seeing a pained look in the golden honey colored pair of eyes. But it didn't last long.

Shizuo placed a hand over Izaya's and forcibly yanked the sharp weapon from his skin. A crimson stain began drenching the white cloth. The informant jumped backwards with his weapon securely in his hand. He surveyed Shizuo's body, searching for an indicator of impending danger. Having found nothing, he slid his flick-blade back into the pocket of his gorgeously dark, fur-trimmed coat.

* * *

"Giving up that easily, aye?" Shizuo asked, remaining alert. If the flea was going to run off like usual, he would definitely catch him this time.

"Actually, yes." Izaya responded with a poker face and relaxed tone.

"Wh-what?" The blonde was instantly confused in that moment. Izaya couldn't help but smirk at Shizuo's dumbfounded face. What an idiot this man was.

"I was hoping I'd run into you... I'd like to have a little chat, Shizu-chan." He took a step closer and traced his skilful hand along the tensed muscles of his arm. He shuddered beneath Izaya's touch. Clearly uncomfortable.

"What are you talking about?" He brushed away the hand that had touched him.

"Nothing really…" Izaya took another step closer, invading whatever personal space his target had left. He gently placed his head against the strong chest and listened to the heartbeat. 'How I wish this idiot would listen to the voice of reason. I feel so filthy touching him like this, but just like all wild animals… They're at a standstill when in untested waters.' That was a fact that he couldn't let pass him by.

The bodyguard was speechless and stiff as a board. 'What the fuck is he doing?' He glanced down at the shorter man, their eyes interlocking. 'What the hell!' He thought again, panicking.

"We should put an end to all of this fighting…" He lightly pushed himself away. "We've gotten nowhere over the years. While I remain unmatched," Izaya bragged, "you've proven yourself to be a worthy opponent." He span around and grabbed Shizuo's shoulders from behind. He whispered a simple sentence. "One worthy of my hate, Shizu-chan." His hand trailed down his lower back and stopped, lingering for a moment before Izaya pulled away again. Shizo felt a cold shiver overwhelm his body.

"What are you getting at flea?" This was some sort of scheme. There's no way a situation like this would occur so nonchalantly.

"I'm saying, let's be… friends. Ne?" Izaya grinned, cheerfully closing his eyes. 'This is killing me… but oh. It'll all be worth it in the end with this monster is dead.'

"You're kidding." Shizuo stated. "As stupid as you think I am, I know you aren't serious right now. There's some catch. Some trick. There always is with you."

Izaya quickly abandoned the act, now that Shizuo had caught on, there was no need to beat around the bush in such a childish way. The raven pulled a cellphone from his pocket and opened the photos he had taken of Shizuo and Dougen's dead body. With a tight grip on the evidence, he showed it to the protozone.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not have any ownership over the original plot of Durarara!, its characters, or anything else that relates to the story. I did not write this in search of profit, nor did I write it in the pursuit of fame. I'm simply a fan who greatly admires the end product of Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and whoever else's collaboration. Thank you.**


	5. He Hates Me More

_Author's Note: Hello! In this chapter Shizuo Heiwajima assaults Izaya Orihara. The severely wounded informant is taken to Shinra Kishitani's place to be treated. While Izaya is stuck with the underground doctor and his roommate Celty Sturluson, he gets a visitor. Who could it be? Continue reading to find out._

_I got my first review! I'm so happy! Thank you very much whoever wrote it! I'm even more determined to frequently update this story now… I would also like to thank my first three followers, Akari Yukimura, HoneyHimee, and ShexWasxGone! It great to know people are interested in my fanfiction. Thank you also all the people who have anonymously been reading! You guys are great too._

_That's all I have to say for now! I hope you enjoy what I've written, and thank you for your time._

* * *

Anger. That's all he felt. Anger. It possessed his mind, took over his body. He wasn't capable of containing such an overwhelming reaction. Seeing that gosh dammed cellphone pissed him off. It forced him to use violence, which he hated so. Damn this anger. Damn it to the depths of Hell.

"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" he screamed. He took a harsh step forward and swung at the phone with all of his might. He was going to destroy that fucking thing. Izaya swiftly dodged the attack and bounced towards the left, preparing to escape. The informant didn't even have the chance to plunge the cellphone into his pocket. Shizuo thrashed his leg into Izaya's stomach. He spiraled into the wall behind him, his back shifting like tectonic plates, they were probably breaking. He bit his soft, pink lips to muffle out his yelp.

Pain. All he felt was pain. An overwhelming pain that scurried up his spine, branching into his neck and shoulders, then dissolving into his face. It hurt, it hurt so much, but he'd never let Shizuo get the satisfaction that came with seeing pain in his auburn eyes.

When the furious punching halted, Izaya moved a shaky hand into his pocket and tucked away the cellphone the best he could and grabbed his flick-blade. 'I am no bug. You can't crush me so easily.' The moment he showed signs of attempting to stand, Shizuo's foot came crashing into his head, successfully completing a dropkick. The attack pushed Izaya's face against the pavement, causing him to swallow another yelp. A deep crimson liquid from his nose seeping into his partially gaped mouth. 'Since when was Shizu-chan so cruel. I thought he hated violence...' A powerful knee slammed into his neck, knocking him further left. 'That's right, I forgot. He hates me more.'

"Kill! Kill! Kill!", Shizuo roared as he kicked Izaya's ribcage. He couldn't hear the muffled yelps of pain being emitted from the information broker, they were too quiet. He couldn't see the weakened body that Izaya was desperately trying to hide, it was too dark. Every gentle, peace-seeking part of the blond had been pushed to the very back of his mind. For the first time since he was a small, small boy… he had completely lost control of his anger.

Granted, he was aware that he was mercilessly beating his enemy, but he didn't comprehend how severe the situation was.

There was an abrupt, sharp pain that spread through Shizuo's foot. He howled and stomped his unharmed foot on the raven haired man's back, simultaneously crushing his lungs and stealing what air he had left in him. The pain was too intense, Izaya couldn't help but let out a blood curdling shriek of absolute pain. It was in that moment that Shizuo realized just what exactly he was doing to the flea.

* * *

His body froze, his foot still hovering over Izaya's head.

"What? Are you done already?" The cocky informant complained, picking up his bloodied face and smirking. Saying things like that were dangerous in his current condition, but he didn't care. 'You will not get the best of me Shizu-chan. I'll destroy you.' He thought. Izaya slowly turned over on his back, wincing as he eased into the pavement. He then proceeded to knock Shizuo's foot out-of-the-way before attempt to get up and fight back. It was no use. Being kicked into the wall fractured his spine. Pain surged through every nerve in his body. Izay yelped again prior to collapsing. 'I won't let you. I won't let you win. A monster like you can't beat a god like myself.' The raven pushed through the pain the best he could and sat up, before collapsing once more.

Shizuo watched the informant struggle, still unable to move. 'D-did I, really do that?' He asked himself, guilt and horror creeping into his subconscious. Shizuo hated Izaya, he always had, since their paths first crossed, but he wasn't the kind of guy who would hurt someone like this. He wasn't the kind of guy who would voluntarily do this. But yet he did. 'Monster, he's right. I am a fucking monster.' The blonde's body began shaking, having found a new type of anger. He was angry with himself; shocked, ashamed. 'Monster!' He let out an agitated roar as his fist made contact with the wall in front of him. 'Monster… I'm not…'

"I'm not a monster." He silently whispered.

* * *

Shizuo crouched down and wrapped his strong arms around Izaya's frail frame. Izaya squirmed, he didn't want this beast near him, much less touching him. Shuzo knew this, but didn't care. He needed to make things right, somehow.

"Put me down." He barked, the bodyguard shook his head and stood up.

"You need medical attention, dumbass."

"Put me down." Izaya repeated, silently transferring his flick-blade from his pocket to his hand.

"I'm taking you to S-" A sudden jab to the thigh interrupted him. His adrenaline had sense dissipated, so it hurt. He dropped Izaya and robotically moved his hand over to the wall, supporting himself before he too fell. Another blood curdling shriek exploded from Izaya, echoing into the night sky.

"I SAID PUT ME DOWN! NOT DROP ME." He screamed, still in serious pain from the fall.

Shizuo glanced at him and shook his head once more. 'Why can't he just calm the fuck down and let me take him to Shinra's…' He sighed before screaming back at him, desperately trying to push away his returning anger.

"I WAS TRYING TO HELP YOU."

"I don't need your help. Your help is useless anyways, after all, you did this." Shizuo knew he was speaking of what he had just done. The guilt in his heart intensified, he wanted to help the raven. No matter how much he hated the man, what he did was wrong. He couldn't live with that.

"Flea," he growled, "listen to me!"

"I DO NOT NEED, YOUR HELP, SHIZU-CHAN!", he screamed again. Not giving his attacker a chance to speak.

"FINE!" Shizuo barked back, his anger taking over, pushing the guilt to the back of his mind again. "I didn't want to help your sorry ass anyways," he kicked the informant directly in the mouth one last time before he hobbled off into the streets of Ikebukuro. Shizuo wasn't going to stay there and continue hurting him, nor was he going to put up with that ungrateful asshole's sassy mouth.

* * *

"Wow Izaya…" Shinra gasped. "You're pretty beat up." He commented, placing some gauze over his skinned elbows.

"How did you say this happened again?" He asked, busily cleaning the scratches on Izaya's face and neck.

"That brute, Shizuo, attacked me." He grunted.

"Lift up your shirt." Shinra instructed, putting Izaya's answer aside.

The informant carefully pulled the shirt over his defined torso and over his head. He set it aside and relaxed his body again. It was difficult to perform such a simple task, considering his injuries.

"Thank you." Shinra lightly touched the dark, plum purple bruise on Izaya's stomach and ribs. As soon as the cold hand brushed against him, the raven grimaced. The underground doctor looked up.

"You're lucky my darling Celty spotted you on her way back from a job." He flashed a smile.

"Stop glorifying her actions. Anybody could have brought me here." He rolled his weary auburn eyes, thinking of how Shizuo had originally planned to take him here.

'Idiot.'

"Well anyways, Shizuo banged you up pretty bad. You're suffering from a broken left rib, and the other cracked." The young, dark-haired man ran his hand along Izaya's spine. Feeling the bone fragments shift as Izaya winced and mewled. "Your spine seems fractured too."

"You're kidding, right?"

Shinra shook his head. "No, I'm not. You'll have to stay here for a few nights to get the basic healing done, then you can go home. You should fully recover in a month or two."

"Okay okay, whatever." He crossed his arms with a sigh as the man in glasses wrapped durable bandages around his ribcage, down his stomach, and over his back.

* * *

It had been three days since the raven became Shinra's responsibility. They went by quickly because Izaya mostly slept. He was enjoying the time off from his busy life as an informant. It was nice not having any responsibilities while he was there. He didn't have to sit through any boring meetings with clients; rush around the city in search of information; he didn't even have to prepare food for himself.

Celty brought him lunch everyday from Russia Sushi, without even being asked. Izaya always made sure to thank her, because he did appreciate the effort. Shinra's cooking was atrocious, the Dullahan must have known that.

* * *

Today was Izaya's fourth and second to last day here, and it was nearing lunch time. As he had expected, there was a light tapping at the door. 'Ne! Lunch time." He excitedly thought to himself.

"Come in." He just as excitedly called. The knob briefly shook before Celty stepped inside with a plastic bag. She set it down close to Izaya and pulled out her PDA. The Black Rider's fingers struck the keyboard at a fast pace. When the clicking of the keys stopped she showed the screen to Izaya.

"Here's lunch. It's ootoro. Enjoy." He read the words and lightly smiled.

"Thanks. You can go now." She nodded and headed for the door, before turning around and typing something else. She showed the raven the screen again, coming a tad bit closer so the words were visible.

"By the way, you have a visitor. Should I let them in before, or after you finish eating?"

"Sure." He replied, not bothering to fully read the message. He didn't really care who it was or why they chose to visit. The only thing he cared about was eating. Fatty tuna was his favorite. Celty sighed and nodded. Promptly leaving the room and closing the thick door behind her. She decided she would let the Shizuo meet with Izaya after he had eaten his lunch, since his answer wasn't specified.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not have any ownership over the original plot of Durarara!, its characters, or anything else that relates to the story. I did not write this in search of profit, nor did I write it in the pursuit of fame. I'm simply a fan who greatly admires the end product of Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and whoever else's collaboration. Thank you.**


	6. Twenty Questions

_Author's Note: In this chapter Izaya Orihara is visited by Shizuo Heiwajima. The two of them ebulliently bicker, but Izaya takes things a little too far. Will Shizuo control his temper? Continue reading to find out._

_It's recently come to my attention that most of my writing is done in a passive voice, rather than an active voice. If anyone can help me understand the difference and maybe give me some pointers on how to fix that, I would greatly appreciate it. I want my writing to be the best it can be for you guys._

_Update: So... I went back and rearranged some sentences in pervious chapters. That way they had an active voice. I'd like to thank everyone who helped me figure out how to fix that. You have no idea how grateful I am._

_That's all I have to say for now! I hope you enjoy what I've written, and thank you for your time._

* * *

"Delicious as always." He dropped the last bite of sushi onto his tongue and let it soak up the flavor. He chewed it slowly, savoring the morsel. "I wish I had more…" Izaya mumbled, placing blue and white chopsticks inside of the takeout box and closing the lid. He then proceeded to place it inside of the baggy Celty had brought it in, and threw it away in the silver trash can beside his bed.

There was a sudden knock at the door that startled him. He had forgotten that he was expecting a visitor.

"Come in." He called, watching as the knob briefly jiggled before Shizuo stepped in.

"Get out." He immediately hissed, flailing his bandaged arm in the general direction of the door. 'Visitor my ass. What does he want?' He observed with nitpicking eyes as the blond didn't move.

'I would've never guessed that Shizu-chan was too stupid to even comprehend Japanese.'

"I said, get. Out." He repeated more sternly, picking his trash out from the garbage and throwing it at Shizuo. Izaya tremored. The bag only made it to the edge of the bed, it lacked the mass to make it far. However, it did not lack the ability to put a heavy strain on the information broker's wounds.

"Uh… no." The debt collector's assistant mumbled, observing Izaya just as vigorously. He could only see from the waist up, and he was glad. What he saw was bad. Dried, blackened blood stained the bandages wrapped around the shirtless chest of the informant. They were tightly secured around a dislocated shoulder. There were scratches running down his arms, only a few of them had proper scabs. Small, brownish green bruises were strategically placed along his arms, gathering at his collarbone and creeping up his neck. Izaya had two visibly larger bruises, one on his face, and the other on his pale stomach. The light violet bruise on his stomach was the size of a dog, and the darker purple on his left cheek dominated more than half of his face. Stitches ran along the edge of his hip and looked as if they continued up his spine, which Shizuo assumed was broken, or at least fractured.

'How could I have done something like this… to anyone?' He swallowed hard. I could have killed him... I could have killed him! ...I should have killed him! He wanted people to believe that I was a murder after all. This bastard deserved it…!' He shook his head, tresses of pale yellow hair tangling with one another before falling back into place. 'No, no. Nobody deserved this, not even the flea.' The blonde looked over the raven haired man again, forcing himself to memorize his horrible condition. 'I won't ever do something like that again... I promise.'

* * *

"I came here to apologize." Shizuo took a few steps forward, drawing closer.

"I don't care. Get out." Izaya hissed more menacingly.

"I don't care what you have to say either then." Shizuo walked over to the bed and pulled out a chair from a nearby desk. He noisily sat in it, straddling his legs around the back. He leaned forwards and crossed his arms over the top of the chair and rested his head.

"I'm sorry I beat the living shit out of you." He apologized.

"Did Simon bully you into trying to make up with me?" He scoffed, thinking the answer was yes.

"No. I wanted to apologize, I want to know if you're doing any better." He grumbled, starting to get pissed. Why is it so difficult for this guy to appreciate what people do for him? 'Because he's a douche, that's why.'

"I'm dandy, now get out." He tried again, slightly caught off guard by Shizuo's answer.

"No."

"What do you mean no? This is my room. GET OUT." He countered.

"This is Shinra's guest room. Celty said I could visit. I'm going to fucking visit. You can't change that. Give it a rest already, louse." He explained, determined to stay.

"I thought you hated me." He stated flatly. "I hate you. We hate each other. It's the natural order of things Shizu-chan."

"What happened to being friends?" He asked, pulling a cigarette out from his shirt's pocket. 'I wonder what he'll say.' He thought, his interest peaked.

Shizuo's words surprised Izaya, causing his eyebrows raise as his mouth and eyes flew open for less than a second. 'Friends…' He remembered what Akane had hired him to do. 'Friends. You need to befriend this guy.' He sighed and glanced over at Shizuo, who was pulling a lighter up to his cancer stick. 'Friends with someone like him... How degrading.'

"Don't light that. I can't breathe around smoke." Izaya spoke up, pushing his internal conflict aside.

'Way to avoid the question flea.'

"Sure, whatever." Shizuo lit the cigarette and took a drawn out puff. The nicotine pumped throughout his masculine body, it felt nice. Closing his honey colored eyes, he tilted his head back and let the smoke casually tiptoe out from his lungs. This extraordinarily brief peace was cut even shorter by Izaya's dry coughing. He growled, remembering he was still in the room with him. Like a loyal dog, he threw down the cigarette and stomped it out on the carpet.

"Make me waste my damn cigarette." He grumbled.

"I didn't make you do anything. If you didn't want to waste it, then you should've just listened to what I said." He paused. "It's the least you could do for a friend." His voice laced with sarcasm and unspoken motives.

* * *

There was a sudden rustling of sheets. Izaya was shifting positions, to lay down on his side. His back was going numb with pain after sitting up for so long. He hoped alterting his posture would ease his discomfort. Shizuo intently watched his body move. Analyzing his muscles. Each time one moved, it would twitch rapidly. His own timid movements managed to cause him pain. 'Should I ask if he's alright…?' He hesitated and parted his lips in preparation to speak. His tongue clicked against the roof of his mouth beginning to form a word, but he stopped himself, biting the muscle. 'No. I shouldn't. I don't give a rat's ass if he's alright.'

* * *

"Hey, flea."

"What?" Izaya spat.

"I don't care, that's what." The ex-bartender stood.

"What does that even mean? Why bother talking to me if you're just going to announce something useless. Is your simpleton mind too underdeveloped to comprehend the idea of speaking only when it is necessary?"

"It means I'm leaving." He stood and pushed the chair over to where he originally found it. "Wasn't what you just said useless too, by the way?" The left corner of his lip twitched into a gentle smirk.

"No. It wasn't. I was sharing common knowledge with a social reject. It's a type of community service."

"I didn't know you did community service."

"Obviously, now quit breathing the same air as me and leave." Frustrated auburn eyes darted towards the door, directing Shizuo where he needed to go.

"You're not the boss of me." He didn't move.

"What are you? Seven? GET OUT."

"I'm twenty-four and I'm staying." He sat back down, enjoying how worked up Izaya was getting. The dispassionate informant caught the amusement that flickered in his visitors eyes. He took it as a sign that he was losing his temper. Heeding the warning, Izaya plastered another monotonous look over his already somewhat expressionless face. He took deep breaths and reiterated his motives. 'He's not going to leave. Play nice. Today's goal is friendship. Infiltrate this man, befriend him, crush him. Eradicate all that's he's known! Ahahahahah…! He won't know what's hit him.'

"Hey. Shizu-chan… Let's play a game."

* * *

There weren't many games the two could play. They couldn't explore Shinra and Celty's apartment like children and play tag or hide and go seek. Nor could they play a silly game like musical chairs. Since Izaya was currently a cripple. They didn't have the resources to get all chummy and play board games, and their surrounding weren't interesting enough to play games like I SPY either. Having known all of this, Shizuo didn't even have a diminutive idea about what he meant, and was even more confused by the situation. He didn't understand why Izaya would suddenly want to play a game in the first place.

"A game? What the fuck can we even play?"

Izaya sighed and gently shook his head. 'Not very creative, are we? Shizu-chan.'

"How about Twenty Questions, ne?" He suggested. "There's no way for you to lose that and destroy the place." He quickly added, just to wound Shizuo's pride.

"Who's seven now?" The bodyguard chuckled.

"That doesn't count. Ask a REAL question, about me. That's how this works."

"I know how it works." Shizuo grumbled. He hesitated, unsure about what he should ask. What was save to ask.

* * *

"What's your favorite color?" He finally decided.

"Guess." Izaya replied. 'What a stupid question. You'd think he'd at least ask something interesting. Perhaps something like, "Why do you insist on ruining people's lives?" Or perhaps he would bring up that bit about friendship from eariler. But no. That'd be too predictable, and he definitely isn't one you can predict. And it's because of this very reason that I hate him so much. Even monsters should have to obey the human weakness of predictability.'

"Black. Right?" Shizuo guessed, having never seen the raven in anything but black over the years.

"My favorite color is orange. Common knowledge." The informant stated.

"How the fuck am I supposed to know that?" The blonde shouted.

"No need to shout Shizu-chan. Like I said, its common knowledge."

"No its not. I bet you don't even know what my favorite color is." He challenged, crossing his arms.

"It's green." Izaya replied with great accuracy and ease. He knew everything about this man. It was to be expected from such a highly skilled and renowned informant.

"Lucky guess."

"I know everything Shizu-chan. Everything." He deriding whispered, his voice barely audible.

"But yet you didn't know that it's your turn to ask a question." Shizuo teased.

"Why did you come visit me today? What part of you honestly wanted to apologize? How were you willing to forget that we hate each other, that we aren't friends? Did you finally realise that you really are a monster? That you're the worst of the worst? Did the guilt eat you alive the past few days?" The questions rolled of Izaya's tongue with great ease. Each one full of accusation that increased into something greater. The hate behind each one was clear, even when accompanied by a flat tone and expressionless face.

Shizuo's mouth gaped open. Completely caught off guard by the unanticipated shift in the atmosphere. 'Weren't we just getting along?'

Seeing the expressions on his enemy's face only fueled his cruelty. Izaya decided he'd throw the blond over the edge, and take his questions to the next level. He didn't care what he had been hired to do. It didn't matter. Izaya served himself.

"Why did you do it? What made you hurt an innocent man? Do you confess to the murder of Dougen Awakusu? Do you Shizu-chan?" Crimson eyes danced while the raven guffawed at his own words. The volume only escalated when Shizuo erupted out of the chair and threw it across the room.

"GIVE ME THAT FUCKING PHONE." He screamed, placing his hands under the bed, he was going to flip it and squash the louse. 'I don't care if he's hurt, I'm done with him!' His biceps flexed as he pushed up on the bed. Izaya let out a shriek of panic as he started rolling into the floor. 'Shit, shit, shit! I went too far!'

Upon hearing the shriek, Shizuo's body slammed the bed back into the hardwood surface in which he stood upon. He looked at Izaya's unflustered face and heaving chest with horror and stumbled backwards. Falling into the chair. He did it again, he lost control. Thank goodness he was able to condescend it.

"I'-I'm sorry… Izaya. I didn't mean to-"

"As I've said many times. Get out." He interrupted, unable to ignore the outburst.

"I'll be back tomorrow."

The raven twitched, displeased by his announcement. Before the opportunity to protest arrived, Shizuo had left the room and gently closed the door behind him.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not have any ownership over the original plot of Durarara!, it's characters, or anything else that relates to the story. I did not write this in search of profit, nor did I write it in the pursuit of fame. I'm simply a fan who greatly admires the end product of Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and whoever else's collaboration. Thank you.**


	7. The Man He Hated Most

Author's Note: _Hello! In this chapter Izaya Orihara is released from Shinra Kishitani's care. When he arrives home Shizuo Heiwajima is there waiting for him. Will Izaya let him in for a visit, or will things break out into another fight? Continue reading to find out._

_Okay, so. This chapter is obviously late. The night I was supposed to write and post it, I got caught up in a project for my honors science class. Neither the project nor the chapter got completed because I've been sick with something. It hurts to look at the laptop, so I've put off writing chapter seven. What we have here, is what I bothered to get done. I __abruptly_ cut the chapter short so I could give you guys an update, and maybe kill off my writers block. So yeah. This chapter is shorter than the others. I apologize for all the inconveniences I've caused, and I should be updating regularly again soon.

_That's all I have to say for now! I hope you enjoy what I've written, and thank you for your time._

* * *

"Thanks for the ride."

The yellow and blue helmet nodded. Nimble fingers covered by black began rushing along the surface of the PDA. The courier spent a few moments typing, then backspacing, then typing, then backspacing again, and then typing once more. She was having a difficult time deciding what to say.

"You're welcome. Get some rest." Was all she finally decided to type. It was short and to the point.

After she showed Izaya the screen, and watched his eyes examined each letter, Celty shifted positions on her bike. Her foot brushed against the kickstand, moving it out-of-the-way, she was ready for departure.

The informant nodded in reply and stepped away, noticing her eagerness to leave. He stayed silent as the black motorbike brayed and sped off, heading down the main road that led back towards Ikebukuro. His hand waved a cocky goodbye once she was gone, and he slightly smirked to himself. Thoughts were buzzing around in his mischievous mind.

'It's an anomaly that she can't sense her head here. She's chased it all the way to Tokyo, purely from a hunch, and she can't even feel it's presence from a mere forty feet away.' He shook his head. 'It's humorous really.'

"I should check and see if my pets have eaten the beauty yet! If it's already been crammed down one of their throats and digested, then that'd explain her profound ignorance." He giggled as he started his journey indoors.

* * *

Going up the stairs in front of his apartment complex was a difficult task. Especially with crutches. All he wanted to do was to slouch, but Shinra said he mustn't bend his back if he wants it to heal properly. That fact forced him into hobbling up the stairs, thoroughly making a fool of himself.

Once inside, things began working in Izaya's favor. There was an elevator installed specifically for people in his situation. It wounded his pride to use it, but it was a worthy sacrifice. Falling down the stairs would have resulted in something much worse than being caught on an elevator. That was going back into the underground doctor's care, and he couldn't go back to Shinra's. Shizuo was willing to visit him there.

To avoid the visit, he had asked Celty to drop him off at his apartment in Shinjuku a few hours before lunch. That eliminated the possibility of him bumping into Shizuo on the streets; a much-needed advantage. There's no way he'd let his nemesis see him in such a weakened state ever again. At least, that's what he hoped for.

* * *

The elevator lulled past each floor until reaching the top. A sharp ding signaled for the heavy doors to push apart long enough for the riders to disperse. Izaya launched himself out of the elevator, eager to hide himself from the world. He quickly swung himself forward and around the corner of the hallway. Only to see the man he hated most blocking the doorway of his apartment. 'What is he doing here?'

Shizuo heard the heavy thud of crutched drawing nearer and looked up to see who it was. It was the man he hated most. Their eyes locked before Izaya looked away, thoroughly masking his anger and shock. Shrugging it off, Shizuo spoke up, breaking the awkward tension that lingered around them.

"Oi. Flea. What's up?"

"Why are you… in front of my apartment?" He questioned. "More importantly, how do you know the exact location of my home?

The blond flashed a smile, obviously proud of himself for surprising the raven.

"A certain someone told me you'd be going home early. That someone was Shinra, and you know he doesn't respect privacy," He stated dryly, taking one last puff of his cigarette before throwing it down and muffling out the flame. His eyes traced across the informant's stiff body. He looked better than he did yesterday. He was wearing the usual black long sleeve shirt, dark jeans, and fur-trimmed hoodie. The bruises on his collar-bone had faded out some, and his face was clearing up. He wondered if his back was alright, seeing the crutches he assumed it wasn't. Shizuo scolded himself for wounding the man, thoroughly ashamed by his actions.

"Well, you can leave. You're not welcome here, Shizu-chan." Izaya coldly stated, swinging himself over to the door. He leaned against the framing and grabbed his keys from the back pocket of his pants. He fumbled with them until finding his house key. He slid it into the keyhole and twisted it, unlocking the door. Crimson eyes glared up at Shizuo, who was fixated on the movement of his hands.

"I told you, you could leave. Now go." Izaya warned.

"I brought fatty tuna you know,"

"You what?" His nose twitched as the blond held up a bag from Russia Sushi.

"It's an honor to have you come and visit my humble abode." He deviously grinned and snatched the bag of food. 'Free lunch, how wonderful! Izaya reached for the doorknob and turned the handle pushing the door open just a crack. He glanced to the left of him and saw the blond still standing there.

"Thanks for lunch, now you can go." The raven retorted. A hand suddenly slipped past his thin arm and grabbed the food. The plastic handle of the bag had snapped from the rough mouvement.

"HEY." He hissed, attempting to grab it back. Shizuo held it above his head and looked down at the shorter man with a smirk. The smirk quickly faded as the food fell from the broken bag onto his head, pieces of sushi rolling into the floor.

"FUCK." Shizuo screamed, punching the wall in front of him. 'You moron. Fucking. Moron.'

"Calm down, will you? It's just food." Izaya sighed and rested his head in the palm of his hand. He reached for the top of Shizuo's head and knocked the takeout box of off his head. His hair was a mess.

"My my Shizu-chan. You look like a pig."

"You look like a peice of shit." He growled back, shaking his head back and forth, causing the sauce to descend down his hair. He reached up a hand to pick out some of the food and a look of disgust dominated his face. 'Ew. Now my hand's all sticky,'

"You're one to talk. Now, do come inside and wash up. Ne?" Izaya politely stated and opened the door. He swung himself inside and told his visitor to follow him. The blond nodded and did as directed.

The room was very spacious with high ceilings. There was a black, sectional leather couch in the sunken area of the floor. Across from it was a large flat screen television; a glass table with a chessboard on top of it separated the two. A dull lamp and potted plant sat on either side of the sofa, and a large painting of naked woman covered by crow feathers hung on the wall. In the opposite corner of the room there was a giant desk with multiple computers and monitors sitting upon it. A laptop and a tablet sat beside a large stack of scattered papers and a mug. Fully stocked bookshelves lined the walls. The other half of the room was empty except for a few black chairs that faced the massive windows the viewed the entire city.

'Who knew the flea had such a nice place… wow.' Shizuo thought to himself, blown away by the condition of the living room. It was so clean and classy compared to his home.

"The bathroom's down that hallway on the left." He pointed to the hall directly in front of them. "When you're done cleaning up, come back to this room and sit on the couch. Don't touch anything unless necessary." Izaya's tone was serious, Shizuo could tell he meant business. He carefully nodded and head towards the bathroom.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not have any ownership over the original plot of Durarara!, it's characters, or anything else that relates to the story. I did not write this in search of profit, nor did I write it in the pursuit of fame. I'm simply a fan who greatly admires the end product of Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and whoever else's collaboration. Thank you.**


	8. Memorize Such Details

_Author's Note: Hello! In this chapter Izaya Orihara and Shizuo Heiwajima exchange conversation over lunch. Although the food went to waste, the time spent together did not. What did they learn about each other this time? Continue reading to find out. WARNING. There is a very brief 'yaoi' description towards the end of this chapter._

_This update is sort of a continuation of chapter seven. I deeply apologize for how long I've made you guys wait. I've gottten over that sickness I previously mentioned, and I've been bombarded with homework. Thank goodness it is Friday! I plan to spend the entire weekend writing, so I'll be spam posting around five chapters I hope. I'm officially updating regularly again! Next topic, thank you everyone who's posted reviews! It means so much, it makes me so happy. I'm glad the story is interesting, and that my writing isn't perceived as atrocious. I'd like to thank Izaya-sama in particular for their review. It was very refreshing to read. *Winks back.* I'm not entirely sure on the ending yet, to be honest, but I'm sure it'll end up being bittersweet._

_Update: There's a misspelled word in here, that completely changed the meaning of the sentence. I literally can not find it, no matter how hard I look. I apologize for the flaw._

_That's all I have to say for now! I hope you enjoy what I've written, and thank you for your time!_

* * *

The hallway was bleak; it looked like a different house in comparison to the living room. The walls were white and the floor was a shallow black; they stretched on for a while before a black door interrupted the pattern. A soft hand wrapped around the gleaming silver door knob, pushing it open.

The room behind it was hardly smaller than the living room, but the ceiling was lower. The walls were an inky grey, and a black and white mural of a forest was painted on one of the walls. In front of the focal point wall was a king size mattress with a fluffy white comforter. It had multiple pillows on it, all of them white. Except for a gloomy grey body pillow that hid behind them all. Positioned in the middle of the bed was a small, black stuffed bear with a white ribbon tied around its neck. Black tables sat on either side of the bed; one had a small indoor rock fountain set on top of it; and the other had a fancy lamp with an alarm clock. On the opposite wall of the bed was a fireplace with a mantle above it. A painting of Ikebukuro sat upon it, with a vanilla scented candle on either side.

Shizuo's eyes scanned across the exquisite room, 'Damn this place is amazing...' he thought; bewildered by the color scheme and quality of the furniture. 'I wish I lived in a place like this...' He took a step forward, entering the room and quietly closing the door behind him. He turned around to see another door with a large desk beside it. On the desk was a custom-built snake habitat, one that nearly reached the ceiling. Nestled in the corner was a black mamba with glowing red eyes; it stared back at Shizuo. 'Who would've thought he'd have a pet snake...' He smiled to the snake and gently tapped the glass. The reptile slithered out from the corner and inched closer to the barrier that separated the two.

"Hey there little guy." The blonde whispered, treating the animal like a dog. Obviously displeased, the snake unhinged its jaw and rammed its fangs into the glass. A venomous purple liquid oozed down the transparent surface. Shizuo backed away, startled by the attack.

"That's Roppi, he hates humans. I wouldn't get too close, seeing as he is one of the deadliest snakes on the planet." A playful voice called from a few feet away, shattering the silence in the bedroom. "I don't like to keep the cage locked either." Izaya added with a gentle smirk.

"Hmm?" Shizuo jolted around to meet the menacing gaze of the informant.

"The bathrooms across the hall you know." He scolded, wrapping his thin fingers around the bodyguard's thick wrist and pulling him out of the room. 'He's lucky he didn't run into Hibiya. That cat's a threat to society. Ahaha, but he's so cute! My little prince...' Izaya let his thoughts roam a little as he slung Shizuo into the bathroom.

"I know, I know. I was just looking around." The blond calmly stated, jerking his hand away from Izaya.

"My room's off-limits Shizu-chan. Don't go in there again."

"Okay, okay. I won't." He sighed. "You have a really nice house, I couldn't resist."

"Don't lie. I know you just got lost."

"I didn't get-" He started to protest, but Izaya cut him off.

"I should have known you were incapable of following directions. Now go wash that nasty hair of yours." He pinched his nose and stuck out his tongue, rasing his hand to point at the sushi covered tangles.

"Whatever, I'll be done in a second." He roughly pushed Izaya away from him and slammed the door.

'So rude.' The raven stumbled backwards a little, but caught himself with his wooden crutches. He limped down the hallway, going back into the living room. Izaya slowly rocked himself forward, past the giant window that faced Shinjuku and into the kitchen. 'Unlike certain monsters, I'm capable of being courteous, so I'll prepare a little something for lunch. But what to make, what to make?'

* * *

'Why am I even here?' He stared back at his reflection, contemplating his actions. 'So what if he's hurt. It's not my problem. I shouldn't be trying to make him feel better.' Shizuo shook his head and stared into the sink. He turned on the water and splashed some of the cold droplets into his face, watching as it churned down the drain. 'I should leave. I will leave.' He huffed and pushed himself away from the counter. 'I won't come back either.'

Finalizing his thoughts, Shizuo left the luxurious bathroom and made his way back into the living room. He briskly paced towards the door, determined to leave. Although the sing-song voice of a certain informant bounced around his mind, stopping him in his tracks.

"Shizu-chan…! Are you done yet? I made lunch, ne!"

He stopped and turned around, staring in the direction of the kitchen. His stomach grumbled. 'Some food would be nice… it wouldn't hurt to stay for lunch.' He nodded at his thwart thoughts and called back.

"Yeah. I'm in the living room."

"I'm not your slave you know. Come get your food." Izaya called back, popping his head out of the kitchen door. His eyes traced the figure of the tall, muscular man. The raven's narrowed eyes swiveled around Shizuo's long legs as they traversed the floor with a wide stride.

"Where is it?" Shizuo asked. His words redirected Izaya's eyes back to his face with a cold glare.

"On the island, your's is the plate in the middle."

Shizuo brushed past him, entering the kitchen. The walls, ceiling, and floor of the large room were a reflective white. White marble countertops lined the walls, providing plenty of counters space. Stainless steel appliances and dark cabinets contrasted the white in the well-lit room. Nestled into shelving below the cabinets were an estimated one hundred cookbooks. Off center towards the left was a large island with three plates of food setting on top of it. The one to the farthest right was a delectable curried tofu scramble; beside it was a piping bowl of roasted chestnut and herb pesto pasta with mushrooms; and the last bowl was a beautifully presented plate of broccoli, carrots, asparagus, and a small glob of scrambled eggs with cheese sauce dribbled over it.

He grabbed the dish in the middle and examined it. 'There's no… meat.' He thought, disgusted by the lack of animal protein on his plate. He looked at the other two plates, only one of them had some sort of meat. The plate with the eggs. Shizuo set the meal Izaya had made for him down and grabbed the last one. Shizuo smelled it, letting the scent cloud his senses. 'This smells heavenly.'

"NO NO NO! What are you doing?! That's cat food!" Izaya flung himself into the kitchen and yanked the plate away from Shizuo. Nearly dropping it in the process because his crutches made utilizing his arms an olympic sport. "I told you your plate was the one in the middle."

"It doesn't have any meat."

"Of course not, I don't have any of that stocked in the fridge."

"Why the fuck not?!" The blond snarled, shocked. Here this guy had enough ingredients and skill to make three different meals in under thirty minutes, but he didn't have meat. That didn't seem logical.

"I'm a pescatarian, Shizu-chan. I have been for fifteen years." He said, leaning his crutches against the island. "As my friend, you should really memorize such details."

"Friends?" He asked. No longer preoccupied with food, or even hunger.

"Ah yes, friends. We're friends now." A smirk spread across his face. "As my friend you should show more appreciation for the meal I made you. I didn't have to make a delicacy for a commoner like you."

"As my friend you shouldn't poke fun at me like that." He snarled.

"I can do whatever I want. I'm a god after all. Isn't that right Hibiya?" A cat hopped on top of the counter when Izaya finished his sentence, as if on cue. It was a large, mink ragdoll. It was bicolor with light brown and cream-colored. Clipped into the fur between his ears was a sparkling gold crown; he also wore a golden collar with diamond encrusted tags. The cat's accessories contrasted the bright blue eyes, making the creature all the more adorable.

"A cat? You have a cat?" Shizuo stared at the feline as it padded towards him. He slowly held out his hand for it to sniff. The cat loudly meowed and stomped down its foot.

"That's Hibiya, my little prince. He demands that you show some respect."

"You're kidding me?" He reached out to pet the cat. Hibiya aggressively hissed at the gesture and swat at his hand, not leaving a scratch since he didn't have claws. It promptly pointed its pale pink nose into the air and strutted to the other side of the counter. His little kitten but swaying as his tail stood stiff.

"No, I'm not. He's a difficult cat. Aren't you?" Izaya started at his pet and suppressed a smile. The cat mewed and brushed against Izaya's extended hand. It nipped at his fingers and purred a little.

"Dearest majesty, are you hungry?" He grabbed the plate with the eggs and placed it by the cat. "Lunch is served. Enjoy. I made that meal myself." He watched as the cat sniffed at the food, before slowly eating it. Izaya ran his fingers down his spine while he ate, filled with glee. He loved his pets, and they loved only him.

* * *

Shizuo curiously watched the two interact. 'This is so cute.' A light blush pinkened his cheeks as he watched Izaya's pale fingers caress the soft, glistening fur. 'Cute, do I think he's… cute?' The blush deepened at the thought. 'No. It's the that's cat cute, yeah. The cat. No way in hell would this louse ever be attractive.' His eyes lingered over the cat, the blush slowly fading.

"Shizu-chan." Izaya softly spoke, giving his cat one last pet. A pair of honey yellow eyes met an auburn stare. Shizuo blushed again, causing Izaya to burst into laughter. The blush quickly faded into embarrassment, which he masked with anger.

"WHAT'S SO FUCKING FUNNY?" The cat flinched and retreated into the living room, obviously horrified by the yelling.

"Your face, that's what." He chortled. "You're so cute when you're blushing."

"Wha-what?" He hissed.

"I said you're cute when you're blushing."

"You think I'm cute?" He asked, his anger diminishing into a shy confusion.

"No. Personally, I think you're butt-ass ugly." The raven stated, neutralizing his facial expression. "Friends complement one another though."

"Not like that." He stuck up his nose and crossed his arms. Displeased by his answer. "I have you know people find me very attractive."

"Like who? Your mother? Are you into incest Shizu-chan? Is that it? Is that why you've never had a girlfriend in your entire life?" The informant pressed his chest into the counter and rested his head in the palm of his hand. He watched as Shizuo flushed with anger. 'Why is it that so many men react with anger? There are so many emotions to choose from. Why pick something as disgusting as anger? It's hideous.'

"Like you've ever had a girlfriend flea!" He growled. "I'm don't like my mother in that way either!"

"I'm not interested in relationships, you neanderthal. While I love and adore humans with a burning passion, I don't care for any of them particularly. Humans are below me. They're created to love and adore me. It's not the other way around. I'm aromantic. I don't want a relationship. With anyone. Much less a human woman…" A wide grin spread across his face. "I'm gay. I like it in the ass." The grin stretched even farther as Shizuo's eyes widened in shock. "I have you know I've probably fucked more guys than you've thrown vending machines. I have suck more dick than you've smoked cigarettes." His eyes grew wider with exclamation as he cackled out his next sentence. "I'm a sex god! People can't resist me! HOW'S THAT FOR A GIRLFRIEND? You pathetic little thing you." He laughed harder, thoroughly enjoying the look on the blond's tomato red face.

"WHAT?" Sickening images of what he assumed Izaya's naked body to look like rolled around in his mind. 'I'm going to vomit…'

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Shizuo screamed.

"Nothing. I'm STD free." Izaya winked at the bodyguard, his face returning to its useless expression.

"That's disgusting."

"Oh poo. Don't say such a thing Shizu-chan. It feels amazing having a thick cock poke at your sweet spot. It feels amazing to have your walls clamp down around someone hot, to have their jizz shoot up inside you. Wetting the tip of your very brain. Oh, it's amazing the way your body can quiver."

"FOR THE LOVE OF-. STOP." He roared, slamming his fist on the counter top.

Izaya let out a broken moan. "S-stop… nyahh. Don't, stop." He smiled as he breathed out his words.

"I'm leaving. You're a sorry excuse for a whore." Shizuo turned around, thoroughly traumatized by what he had heard. "Thanks for lunch, but I don't think I could possibly eat here. God only knows what you've done atop of this counter. " With that, the blond rushed out of the kitchen and out the door.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not have any ownership over the original plot of Durarara!, it's characters, or anything else that relates to the story. I did not write this in search of profit, nor did I write it in the pursuit of fame. I'm simply a fan who greatly admires the end product of Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and whoever else's collaboration. Thank you.**


	9. Unlike Any Other

_Author's Note: Hello! In this chapter Izaya Orihara delivers another addition of faulty information about Shizuo Heiwajima to Akane Awakusu. What could he possibly have thought up? Continue reading to find out. WARNING. There is a brief 'yaoi' scene at the beginning of this chapter._

_Is it weird that I call the small dosages of smut yaoi? I'm not sure what to call them really. Since I'm nowhere near writing sexual interactions between Shizuo and Izaya yet, but I still have some sexual things popping up here and there. Are they still considered anime even though I'm writing a fanfiction. I have no idea. Next topic, I'd like to thank Ninja Mafia Mistress for your review question thingy. I'd also like to thank everyone who has favorited or decided to follow this story so far. I appreciate it greatly. I will definitely be writing about Izaya feeding and playing with Roppi. I didn't feed him in the last chapter because I read somewhere snakes didn't have to be fed that often._

_That's all I have to say for now! I hope you enjoy what I've written, and thank you for your time._

* * *

'Ah, you're amazing. So-' His sentence dissipated into a moan before picking back up into a pleasured scream. 'AMAZING.' His body quivered as an unknown man aggressively thrusted into his thin, pale frame. Izaya let out small moans each time the tip of the brunette's head teased at his prostate, screaming when it made contact. Strong hands gripped his slim waist; they were there to help support the man hovering over him, who was panting into his ear as he reached climax. The brunette quietly chanted degrading phrases to the raven beneath him, but quickly stopped when he heard an angry moan. 'Could you, ah, please, shut the fuck, ahhhp." Izaya growled, slamming himself into the throbbing rod being forced inside him. He slammed himself down onto the man again, this time a cool liquid shooting up inside of him. His whole body shook as the white thickness oozed down his skinny thighs. 'OH MY-.' He screamed as he too reached his climax, blasting his own cum into his face. 'Oh my, how amazing.' He whispered, all of his stamina gone. The man above him pulled out with a smile, and was about to speak. Although the obnoxious ringing of a cell phone interpreted him.

* * *

Shizuo's eyelids lazily opened and scanned the room. A long arm groped at the bedside table in search of his cell phone. He found it in time to answer the call.

"Hello?" The blond grumbled into the speaker, obviously half awake.

"Good morning!" Tom called from the other end.

"Oh, good morning Tom-san."

"Did I forget to tell you that we've got debt to collect today? I've been waiting at my office for fifteen minutes, Shizuo. Hurry up and meet me at work."

"Right, right, sorry. I'll be there a quarter to nine."

"Alright." Tom sighed into the phone. "I'll see you then, goodbye."

"Bye." Shizuo clamped the phone shut and placed it back on the table. With a yawn, he stretched and pulled the covers off of him. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and hissed softly. His pajamas felt a little tight. He looked down at his crotch to see an erection bulging in his pants. 'Oh no oh no. Was I really that damn interested in that dream about the flea?!' He panicked and stood up. 'It wasn't even, no. I wasn't. I like women. I hate that fucking louse.' He hurried into the bathroom, grabbing his clothes on the way.

"Get a grip. It's just a morning boner. That's all." He slid out of his pants, and then his boxers. Ignoring the stiffness of his manhood, hoping that would make it die down. He slid a fresh pair of underwear on, and then proceeded to get dressed. Shizuo stared into the mirror and adjusted the bow tie of his uniform, then he grabbed a hairbrush and untangled his coarse hair. He then proceeded to brush his teeth before preparing breakfast for himself in the kitchen. 'Just a morning boner. That's all.' He reassured himself.

* * *

"NO! You're fucking kidding me? How can I be out of both milk AND cherry poptarts?" He slammed the refrigerator door with intense aggravation and began ripping off the cabinet doors and throwing them across the room.

"WHY ARE MORNINGS SO DIFFICULT FOR ME?" He screamed, kicking the couch and sending it flying into the wall. 'All I want is some breakfast! Is that too hard to ask?' He placed a finger on either side of the bridge of his nose and pinched it lightly with a sigh. 'Calm down, you only have to go to the store. That's no big deal.' He moved his hand back down to his side and stared at the mess he made. 'I'm out of control.' With a sigh, he nudged the debris of his tantrum out-of-the-way until he got to the door. He flung it open and slammed it behind him. Leaving his apartment and heading downtown to aid his senpai with work.

* * *

Three and a half miles away, Izaya was surfing the internet at his desk in the living room. The Dollars's chat room was open in one tab, Raira Academy records in another, and random web pages that held documents from multiple facilities in all the others. In the shape he was in, Izaya could only gather information for Akane, since it didn't have to be validated, but it did have to sound reasonable.

As an informant, he would never tell lies while at work, but he would surely bend and exaggerate the truth. That's what made his job exciting. People trusted him. He could tell them anything he wanted to and they would believe him without question. It was that power that further indorsed his god complex. It was that power that made him twisted.

* * *

Over the years the raven had associated with heaps of horrendous businessmen of the underground. Each one would teach him something new on why evil people existed in the world. Many years back, Izaya realized humans became twisted when fate scorned them. Bad occurrences turned them bitter, it drove them to the edge. It left them vulnerable to the darkness that would swallow them whole. Humans would lose sight of hope and struggle in their abyss of self-pity, until they became the darkness. They'd rise from the ashes with newfound power. Power that came with being ruthless, that came with having no regard for their fellow man. These people were the darkness. Lowly, less-than-human darkness.

That's what made Izaya different from other psychopaths that roamed this Earth. Life didn't strategically throw challenges at him.. He made his own challenges. He made his life difficult. He welcomed the suffering the world had to offer. Not once did he wallow in self-pity, he always rose above it. The informant was constantly evolving into something like a god. Izaya Orihara was the man who created the darkness.

* * *

Knowing he was unlike any other, he became someone who sells information for his own enjoyment. It allowed him to wreak havoc on anyone of his choosing. Shizuo was his targeted victim this time around. More often than not, the fortissimo of Ikebukuro was Izaya particular interest. It was because he too was unlike any other. Shizuo Heiwajima was a monster, a monster who should have been consumed by the darkness at the ripe age of seven. He was the only lowly creature that never stopped trying to escape the mundane.

That enraged Izaya, it made him hate the man. It made him hate the man with such a passion that he was willing to do anything that would annihilate his spirit, his hope, his will. That's why he was spending his valuable time surfing the web for information he could manipulate.

* * *

Later that afternoon Izaya had acquired a small fact with a convincing story, one that he could easily use to make Shizuo sound like the guilty party for Dougen Awakusu's murder. Having acquired a photo of Shizuo and Vorona acting chummy from a security camera, he printed off the photo. Along with a few other's he had manipulated himself. He put them all into a small cardboard box and addressed it to the personal residence of Akane and her family. He set it outside his door so the complex manager could take it upon himself to bring it down to the mailboxes on the first floor.

Normaly the information broker wouldn't depend on someone else to deliver evidence, but he didn't think his pranks against Shizuo were really worth walking five miles. It would be dangerous seeing as various gang members would often challenge him, and Izaya was handicapped in more ways than one. He couldn't walk without support from his crutches, he couldn't see out of one of his eyes, he was unable to turn his head, and his entire body was sore from the bruises scattered on his muscles. Lets not forget that his spine was broken as well.

* * *

Izaya limped away from the front door and over to the couch. He sat himself on the cushions and pulled his cell phone from the right pocket of his black jeans. He dialed Akane's number and held the phone to his ear. Counting each ring to occupy himself while he waited.

"Uhm hello… Who is this?"

"Hello squirt! It's Orihara Izaya, the information broker you recently contacted."

"O-oh! Hello! Do you have any information on Heiwajima Shizuo for me?"

"If I remember correctly, we agreed that I would only call you when I've acquired any information."

"Yes, that's true. I'm sorry… Please tell me what you have found." Izaya smirked as her wounded voiced practically begged for information.

"Do you remember Vorona? The one who kidnapped you some time ago? She has pretty blond hair, big beautifully icy blue eyes. My sources tell me you think of her as a rival. Do you remember her? Surely you must."

"Y-yes. I remember her. Why is this relevant?" The girl asked, sounding eager and impatient.

"As you probably know, she is a former assassin. When she's short on cash, its rumored she'll accept a few assassination jobs here and there. The Awakusu's enemies assign many of those jobs." He paused, allowing Akane to absorb the information. "She's been seen interacting with Shizuo. They seem to be close. I've sent photos to your residence as proof, in case you don't believe me." His tone was sly and cocky.

"I see… that doesn't seem like hard proof though."

"It's not, but it's the best we have. Assassins are tricky people, murder is a tricky crime. The fact that he hangs around Vorona proves that he has affiliation with your family's rivals. Considering that Shizuo is also a bit of a homophobe, he could be romantically involved with dear Vorona. People will do crazy things for the sake of love. Crazy things like murdering your grandfather to impress a lover. It's common knowledge really, so it is in fact proof."

"Alright… I believe you. Thank you." Akane had tensed at the mentioning of her grandfather. Izaya's words both hurt and angered her, she directed those feelings towards Shizuo.

"You're most certainly welcome. Don't go around doubting me again though, ne?" His voice went from cheerful to threatening between sentences. It frightened the someday successor of the Awakusus.

"O-okay." She hesitantly responded, trying to calm her nerves. It was risky for a child to have anything to do with one of the most dangerous men in Ikebukuro.

"Good girl. I'll contact you when I have more information. Pleasure doing business with you! Chao."

Izaya clamped the phone shut and slid it back into his pocket with a grin. He extended his arm forward and moved one of the pieces on his personalized chess board. 'While this is a rather slow process, it truly is exhilarating.' A cackle exploded from his throat followed by excited screaming. "This'll be fun, this'll be fun, this'll be fun!" His laughing abruptly stopped and he plastered another on mask to cover of his amusement. "I'll kill him. I'll kill them all, in the end, nobody can escape the darkness of this world."

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not have any ownership over the original plot of Durarara!, it's characters, or anything else that relates to the story. I did not write this in search of profit, nor did I write it in the pursuit of fame. I'm simply a fan who greatly admires the end product of Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and whoever else's collaboration. Thank you.**


	10. He Too Was Alienated

_Author's Note: Hello! In this chapter Shizuo Heiwajima spends the day with Tom Tanaka and Vorona. When their work is finished, he heads home. Will he go straight there, or make a couple of stops along the way? Continue reading to find out._

_I'm done. Never again will I even think about making a schedule for my updates on this fanfiction. My life is so unorganized I have no idea. Please forgive me… I'm sorry this chapter is sort of lame too, I have another case of writer's block. Who knows when that'll go away._

_That's all I have to say for now! I hope you enjoy what I've written and thank you for your time._

_Update: There are a bunch of errors in this, but they aren't too terrible. I'm incredibly lazy, so they won't be fixed._

* * *

"Oi!" Shizuo waved to his boss, who was standing in front of his debt collecting business. He smiled to him, pleased to see he didn't look angry about his tardiness. Tom never really got angry, he was very laid back. That as probably the reason he could almost always calm Shizuo down.

"Hurry up, we've got a lot to do today." Tom called back, gently waving. Vorona stepped out from behind him with a small scowl on her beautiful face, adding more meaning to Tom's request.

"We've been waiting forever, now let's go." The blond woman crossed her arms and turned around, obviously ready to get the day started. Tom nodded in response to the ex-assassin's body language; he turned around as well. It was signal for Shizuo to hurry and rejoin the group. Picking up on the signal, he took eight heavy footsteps before he was standing behind the two shorter coworkers.

"Sorry I was late…" The bond man rubbed the back of his head and flashed a nervous smile.

"Yeah, but you're still late. An apology can't send you back in time." Vorona snapped to him. She was an impatient woman with a busy schedule, who wasn't too fond of excuses.

"Right, right." Shizuo nodded, and pulled a cigarette from the front pocket of his black and white bartender's uniform. He placed it between his sparkling white teeth to hold it in place as brought a green lighter to it. The flame flickered in the gentle breeze that lulled down the streets of Ikebukuro, but it still managed to light the stick of tobacco. He tucked the lighter back in his pocket and leisurely took a puff of his cigarette. Closing his eyes and let a gentle smile settle on his face.

* * *

Even though Shizuo despised waking up early, and having to deal with the low lives of this town, he loved his job. He loved the casual talks him and his senpai would have as they collected the debt owed by people. Tom was a great man, someone who accepted Shizuo for the 'monster' that he was. That acceptance truly meant the world to him. Whenever Vorona was around, he would love his job a little more. She was a fast learner, he liked that about her. She didn't waste time with things. She was direct. She could be a little rude now and then, but you could count on her to tell the straight truth. Shizuo loved his job because he loved the people he worked with. He could count on them to be there for him, something he never really had. Sure he had his brother Kasuka, but he wasn't around that much being an unbelievable actor and all.

* * *

The thing about people is, they need love. Shizuo knew this better than anyone. He had a relatively normal childhood, nothing out of the ordinary ever appeared. Nothing that could have corrupted him. There wasn't an explanation for his inability to control his anger; on why his brain doesn't restrict his power. These unanswered questions left him alienated from the people around him. Alienated from everyone, in fear he would hurt them. But there were a few in his life that looked past the danger he presented. People who loved him. And that's what made him the good person he was. That's what made Shizuo a good-hearted person; someone who wouldn't take advantage of others, no matter who they were. He was the kind of guy who was there for others, since he knew the pain of being alone, but also knew the liberation of having friends.

Without love, compassion, some sort of positive human interaction, a person becomes misshapen. They become evil. It's psychological fact that anyone who's treated badly or neglected their entire life, never to receive any love, will face the world with a twisted perspective. These people believe they're unworthy of affection, comforting. That they live in this world alone, that no one can understand them. Depending on the person, they'll develop a complex believing they're filth, or perhaps a god. Izaya was one of these people, who had been alienated from the world; never to gain anything but hatred from the people around him.

Although Shizuo was unable to comprehend the flea, he knew he too was alienated. Izaya was the reason Shizuo was so thankful for the friends he had. Because of them, he didn't turn out vile. Because of them, Shizuo was able to enjoy each and every day of his life, despite the struggles life strategically threw at him.

* * *

The three debt collectors had spent the day beating crooks to a pulp and socializing as they strolled the streets together. Tom lead the way with Vorona to his left and Shizuo to his right. Vorona made light conversation about past experiences with Tom, and Shizuo listened carefully, puffing away his cigarettes. They took turns sharing stories and listening, laughing at each sentence. If those in debt hadn't known better, the peculiar crowd would've been mistaken for a group of friends meeting up for the first time in years.

* * *

Such a visit only lasted a few hours though, after all they were just doing their job. Shizuo was on his way back home now. He had both hands resting in the pockets of his pants as he took leisurely footsteps. The sun was setting, it was around seven o'clock. 'I could really go for some food… I haven't eaten anything all day.' Shizuo's stomach grumbled, and he removed a hand from his pocket and rested it on his stomach. 'There isn't any food at home either… I'll get some sushi.' His pace quickened as he headed for Russia Sushi. Once there, he ordered a serving of futomaki for himself. As he waited for his food, the louse popped into his mind. 'I wonder if he's had anything to eat today..' Shizuo glanced at his cell phone, checking the time. 'It's not that late, I could bring him something. To thank him for making lunch for me yesterday.' Shizuo shuddered as he recalled the conversation he and Izaya had. 'Maybe it would be wise not to show up for a while… I'll repay him another time.'

* * *

"Your food, Shizuo." Dennis announced, handing a plastic bag to him.

"Thanks." Shizuo grabbed the bag with a gentle smile. He stood up and turned, preparing to leave. He hesitated a bit before turning back around.

"Hey Dennis."

"Yes?"

"Can you prepare some ootoro."

"Sure, but it'll cost you." The white man winked and began preparing the food. Shizuo placed the money on the counter and waited a few minutes before he was given another bag. He thanked the Russian chef again and left the restaurant. He then broke into a full sprint, heading for Shinjuku. 'I better not end up regretting this.'

* * *

"I love my multicultural self." He placed the last piece of a vegan quesadilla into his mouth and chewed it slowly. He then took a swig of water and made a loud exasperated burp.

"You're a disgusting uncultured swine." A woman's voice spoke up after the example of poor manners.

"Excuse me, ne!" He playfully hollared before glancing over to Namie, who was sitting at the computer desk. "You didn't give me enough time to excuse myself."

"You shouldn't have made such a crude noise in the first place." Her fingers clacked away at the keyboard.

"Geez, so impatient." Izaya mumbled.

"I'd be in a better mood if you let me go home. I've worked over time for three hours already. I have a little brother to take care of you know."

"Yeah yeah, go home when you want. Little Seiji will never return that creepy incestuous love of yours." He smirked and waved a hand, signifying for her to leave his presence.

"I'm not coming to work tomorrow, goodbye." With that she stood, collected her things, and left the apartment. Her heels clicking against the hardwood floor as she left.

'Good riddance.' Izaya thought, grabbing his crutches and standing up. He limped into the kitchen and placed his tainted dishes into the dishwasher. He then stepped out into the living room, ready to turn in for the night, but a knock at the door stopped him in his tracks.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not have any ownership over the original plot of Durarara!, it's characters, or anything else that relates to the story. I did not write this in search of profit, nor did I write it in the pursuit of fame. I'm simply a fan who greatly admires the end product of Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and whoever else's collaboration. Thank you.**


	11. The Sake of Friendship

_Author's Note: Hello! In this chapter Shizuo Heiwajima pays Izaya Orihara an unexpected visit. It didn't take long for the two to discuss the topic of friendship. Will they actually agree to become 'friends'? Continue reading to find out._

_Oh goodness... I haven't updated in a month. I had lost my inspiration, my motivation, and my access to the interest. Now that it's all back I can start posting chapters more often. I was so eager to tell you guys the good news, that I'm posting an itty bitty chapter. I'm sorry for that if you enjoy longer chapters. In other news, it's harder for me to write chapters. I'm having to type directly into this site, rather than the Word documents I've been using. I don't have access to those anymore. My spelling and grammar might become worse than it already is. For that, I am extensively sorry._

_I'd like to thank 001011 for their review, thank you. That made me feel wonderous, and it gave me a push in the right direction. I hope I can continue to entertain you with this most likely neverending story. Thanks to everyone else who has waited for me to update as well._

_That's all I have to say for now! I hope you enjoy what I've written and thank you for your time._

* * *

"Come in!" He screeched, thinking it'd be Namie. She had a habit of forgetting snarky comments and coming back just to announce them. It was a nuisance, but amusing enough for Izaya to welcome her back.

"Coming." A gruff voice called back, ungracefully pushing open the door. Shizuo stepped into the living room with some sort of smile that Izaya didn't quite understand.

"Ah! Shizu-chan! What brings you here?" Izaya excitedly cooed.

"I'm here to deliver your dinner, louse. To repay you for making me lunch yesterday… and to apologize for ruining the lunch I originally brought over for you." He shook the plastic bag to direct Izaya's crimson eyes over to it. His efforts were unsuccessful though, Izaya maintained eye contact.

"You're a little late, protozoan. I just finished my dinner. Another serving of anything would spoil my health." The raven shook his head, and smiled gently. "Thank you though, if you could just put it in the fridge and leave, that would be great." He shifted his weight on one of the crutches and lifted the other one off the ground to point in the direction of the kitchen.

"Oh. Okay. I'll do just that, but I'm not leaving just yet." The bodyguard walked past the informant and into the kitchen. He opened the fridge to find it stocked full of various vegetables, fish, cheeses, refrigerated sauces, and a couple of gallons of juices. 'It's just, endless amounts of healthy food.' He pushed some of the juices away to make enough room for the takeout box full of ootoro. He struggled to do so, considering the lack of space in the fridge. When it was secure enough, he slammed the door shut to keep it from popping out-of-place. He then proceeded to join Izaya back in the living room.

* * *

Izaya hadn't moved an inch, he just stood there. Analyzing Shizuo's movements as he shuffled over to one of the chairs facing the large window. He acted like he owned the place.

"What do you think you're doing?" Izaya called.

"Getting comfortable." Shizuo replied, not bothering to face the raven.

"Right, right." Izaya made his way over to the second chair and sat. He placed his crutches on the ground, being careful not to scuff the expensive floors. His posture was stiff, unlike Shizuo who sank into the satin cushions. Having noticed this, Izaya scolded him with a menacing glare.

"As long as you're here, let's settle some of our issues. Ne?"

"Why?" Shizuo asked, sitting up straight.

"For the sake of friendship of course!" Izaya shouted with a bright grin. "I want to be friends."

"I didn't think you were serious." The blond stated and pulled the purple tinted sunglasses off of his handsome face. 'He's planning something… I know it. This fucking louse.'

"I know what you're thinking Shizu-chan. There has to some underlying motive beneath my kindness. There always is with me, isn't there?" Izaya shook his head as Shizuo's eyes slightly widened in surprise. "Why is it so difficult for you to have faith in that one percent? Is it because I framed you for something you didn't do? Who knew you'd get so mad." He dramatically paused. "I did!" Laughter exploded from the ravens lungs, causing him to appear a bit, off his rocker.

Shizuo watched his head tilt back. He twitched at the obnoxious sound of his cackling.

"Can you finish your damn story already?" He growld. Why did Izaya always have to ramble?

Izaya quickly shut his mouth and met Shizuo's golden eyes with a dead stare. "You're right. I'm planning something." Izaya waved around his good hand. "You see, if we become friends. I'll be a lot safer. I won't have to worry about getting my ass kicked when I'm out and about. I won't end up like this again." The ex-bartender traced his eyes down Izaya's wounded body, guilt and regret stabbing at his chest.

"What if I don't want to be your, friend? Huh?"

"That's why I've pinned you in a corner. You see, I've got dirt on you Shizuo-chan. I witnessed you murder Dougen. I have photos!" He flashed a smile at the blonds reaction. His body had tensed and began heaving with repressed anger.

"Don't get your underwear in a twist! I'm offering you a way out! Be my friend, and I'll direct the blame to someone else. What do you say?" The mischievous informant propped his head on his hand, staring into the eyes sitting across from him.

"FINE." The other man yelled, forcing himself to keep calm. Negotiations were a risky game, especially when your opponent was Izaya. He couldn't mess this up. He wouldn't.

"It's settled then."

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not have any ownership over the original plot of Durarara!, it's characters, or anything else that relates to the story. I did not write this in search of profit, nor did I write it in the pursuit of fame. I'm simply a fan who greatly admires the end product of Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and whoever else's collaboration. Thank you.**


	12. Not Permitted to Hate

_Author's Note: Hello! In this chapter Izaya Orihara and Shizuo Heiwajima interact for the first time in a week. Not long after the conversation started, Izaya invited Shizuo to go the park with him. Is it just an innocent invite, or is there an underlying motive? Continue reading to find out._

_This was a difficult chapter to write, probably because I'm trying to get back on track with the story. If I mess up some of the small details, like the healing process/exact wounds/day of the week/seasons/time of day or that sort of thing, let me know. I honestly have no memory of what I've written in regards to that in precious chapters. I actually wrote this chapter during school today, I might start doing that everyday. It works better with my schedule. Also, this another short chapter. The next one will be bigger, I promise. _

_That's all I have to say for now! I hope you enjoy what I've written, and thank you for your time._

* * *

Since Shizuo and Izaya had last spoken to one another, the sun had risen and fallen seven times in the hustling-bustling town of Tokyo. Shizuo spent those days working relentlessly. That brain of his was prone to over thinking, and that had plunged him into many mishaps over the years. He didn't think it wise to think at all, considering Izaya had blackmailed him into embarking on a journey of eggshells.

Shizuo's boss, Tom-san, didn't have any work for him that Saturday afternoon, so he sat on his sofa. It was old, plaid, and dingy at best. Not that Shizuo minded, he'd grown accustomed to the poor quality cushions. His elbows rested on his knees, supporting his head. He was exhausted. His phone began ringing for the fiftieth time that week, just as he was dozing off. He groaned, not wanting anything to disturb him. 'I don't have an excuse to ignore him this time though. Shit.'

He shook his head, shifting his strong hands away from his face with a frown. The faded yellow locks of hair brushed over his eyebrows as an arm extended to finally answer the phone.

"Uh, hi." He began, not exactly sure what to say.

"What kind of friend ignores another friend for an entire week?" Izaya playfully hissed into the phone, stressing the word friend.

"Yeah, well, I've worked nonstop."

"I've watched you, Shizu-chan. I know you've tried to avoided me. What are you so afraid of? I can't hurt you. Not in my current condition." His last sentence was melancholy in tone. It sent a surge of regret down Shizuo's back, making his body tense.

"Wh-what do you mean you've been watching me?" He asked, pushing away that nagging sense of remorse and replacing it with genuine concern for his privacy.

Izaya ignored the question. He hadn't really been stalking the overgrown child; he didn't care enough. The raven had spent the week sleeping, in efforts to make himself heal faster. The recovery was taking a little longer than he thought is should have. He could walk and function properly now, but it still caused him great pain to do so.

"I'm healing by the way." He causally mentioned, as if the blond cared.

"That's good."

"Is it, is it really?" He cooed.

"I guess." He sighed into the phone; bored with the conversation, he wanted to sleep.

"Let's do something, Shizu-chan." He paused. "Now that I'm not dependent on those uncomfortable crutches."

"I rather not, I'm kinda' tired." Shizuo admitted.

"You either take me to the park, or a nearby orphanage with be set aflame. Ne?"

"You wouldn't." Shizuo challenged, narrowing his eyes. Obviously, Izaya was joking. At least, he hoped he was.

"I would. As long as I could pin it on you. You really gotta' get this through that thick skull of your's. I hate you, but you're not permitted to hate me."

Aggravation churned within him, he really did hate this man. With everything he had in him. It was no use resisting though. Izaya had pinned him in a corner. Crafty bastard.

"You know what?" Shizuo heaved. "Fine. Let's get this over with. I'll take your ass to the park. I ain't staying long though. I'm a busy guy."

"Sure you are." Izaya mocked. "See you in half an hour, protozoan." With that, he ended the call with the press of a button.

* * *

Izaya's thumbs quickly went to work. He had a couple of things to set up, in preparations for his trip to the park. He texted a few numbers, telling them to scatter around Shinjuku Gyoen within forty-five minutes. He instructed them to bring small weaponry, the kind that would do minimal damage to the human body. After he explained what they needed to do with the weapons, he dialed a number. He listened to the speaker besides his ear, it rang three times before the other end picked up.

"Yo."

"Hello, I'm calling to cash in a long overdue favor."

"Go on." The other end nodded.

"You have forty-five minutes to get to Shinjuku Gyoen. Bring a gun that you can easily hide." Izaya quickly filled him on the rest of his plan.

"Alright, simple enough."

"Good, good. Thanks for the help. Chao." He cheerfully spoke into the phone, before clamping it shut with one hand.

* * *

His loosely bandaged hands rested in the faux fur-lined pockets with great comfort. Carefull fingers ran themselves across a metallic cellphone and pocket-sized blade. They were his classic carry ons, he never went anywhere without them. Somehow, the items relaxed him. They made Izaya feel protected. That reassuring feeling played an important role today. This was the first time Izaya had left his home, wounded. Not only that, but he had arranged for Shizuo and himself to be mugged in the park today. The informant was particularly looking forward to getting roughed up, but it was a necessary sacrifice. He needed to earn the bodyguard's trust.

Lost in his thoughts, Izaya stepped away from the doorstep of the apartment complex. He leisurely made his down the sidewalk that lined the somewhat busy street he lived on. Normally, he wouldn't walk out in the open like this. Today wasn't a normal day though. He was waiting on a tall blond with a nicotine addiction to escort him to the park. Since he was dealing with a fool, he would only be spotted if out in the open.

It wasn't long before a Shizuo arrived, a cigerette between his lips, and purple tinted sunglasses covering his honey colored eyes. He held up a hand at Izaya, who began walking towards him at a quicker pace. Shizuo took a deep breath and let the murky smoke leak from his mouth befoe speaking.

"You ready to go? Sooner we get there, sooner I can leave."

"Yeah." Izaya nodded, his stride simultaneously quickening as the two made their way to the park. He didn't feel like speaking on the way there. He had no interest in getting along with him, nor did he wish to directly comply to his wishes. The only reason he was so eager to get there was because he had a time sensitive plan that would be set in motion in less than five minutes. Damn Shizuo for always being late.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not have any ownership over the original plot of Durarara!, it's characters, or anything else that relates to the story. I did not write this in search of profit, nor did I write it in the pursuit of fame. I'm simply a fan who greatly admires the end product of Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and whoever else's collaboration. Thank you.**


	13. You're Too Tough for Me

_Author's Note: Hello! In this chapter Izaya Orihara and Shizuo Heiwajima go for a somewhat pleasant stroll in Shinjuku Gyoen. Their afternoon takes a turn for the worst when a group of thugs pick a fight. Shizuo and Izaya face off against the mysterious group. What will happen? Are these the men Izaya had hired, or are they random guys itching for a fight? Continue reading to find out._

_I promised this would be longer, and it is. Not as long as I would like it to be though, but whatever. This was an easy chapter to write. I'd like to give a special thanks to Lolita Rafane for their review, it gave me an idea. In this chapter, I've included a small, insignificant plot twist. Aside from that, I decided the story is taking place during the summertime. I've also decided Izaya will fully recover in a week. That means the chapters will begin to get more interesting, seeing as healthy characters are easy to force into ridiculous situations. _

_That's all I have to say for now! I hope you enjoy what I've written, and thank you for your time._

* * *

They stared up at the gates, impressed by their structure. Stone walls sat on either side, with the park's name written on a sign in caligraphy. Below that, in smaller, but just as fancy letters, the sign read 'No smoking.' Shizuo let out a frustrated sigh upon reading it. 'Dammit.' He placed two fingers around his cigarette, getting one last breath of the nicotine, before throwing it into the ground and stomping it out. A little pissed, he trudged forward a few inches, aggressively pushing against the gate. It opened with ease, and the two walked across brown garden tiles. A winding dirt path stretched in front of them, for as far as the eye could see. They stepped on it, taking in the scenery. Scattered around the area were giant trees with deep green leaves and mahogany trunks. A shimmering pond was a couple of yards away, a family of calm Mandarin Ducks rested among the waters. A few pond turtles crawled towards children who were attempting to feed the ducks bread.

Izaya's eyes scanned across the small crowds of people who had claimed certain portions of the park for their own. The right corner of his mouth pulled into a smirk upon spotting a group of sketchy men. A respectable distance way from them was an extremely tall man with an overly muscular build. 'Ah good, they're here.' He thought, wrapping tense fingers around his flick-blade.

Shizuo had just finished enjoying sight surrounding him, well most of it. There were a group of men not that far away from them that was making him uneasy. There was a bad feeling churning in the pit of his stomach, he knew it was because of Izaya. He was always the one to blame for random acts of misfortune. Keeping that in mind, he glanced down to the smirking raven. The mischievous smirk confirmed his suspicions. 'That's it. I'm leaving.' He nodded to himself and twisted his body back towards the park's entrance. His left food began to move, his knee bending in preparation for a large step.

A medium-sized hand gripping a sharp blade darted out in front of his fleeing body. He shifted his body back into its original position and focused his eyes on Izaya's hostile glare. Before the informant could scold him for attempting to leave, he lightly placed his hand on Izaya's extended arm. He pushed it away before driving his hands into his pockets and taking a step forward.

"Let's go, flea."

Flashing a smile in response, the dark-haired man put his weapon back into the pocket of his jacket. He abruptly grabbed Shizuo's wrist with a loose grip before yanking him forward. Izaya's pace quickened as he pulled Shizuo along. It caused the blond to initially stumble before reaching the proper speed needed to keep up with his agile 'friend.'

* * *

He felt childish being dragged around a wide dirt path lined with emerald-green grass and bright purple Wisterias and distracting yellow daisies. No longer able to push his embarrassment aside, Shiozuo jerked his arm away. The sudden movement caused Izaya to stumble backwards, but he was able to catch his footing.

"Why'd you stop? We're not that far from Mother and Child's Forest."

"I thought we were going for a walk in the park."

"Quit complaining. First you don't want to waste time here, now you want to take your time. Make up your mind Shizu-chan." Izaya folded his arms across his chest, eager to start an argument.

"I'm not fucking complaining. I was asking you a fu-" A gun shot topped him mid sentence. Without thinking, he grabbed Izaya's wrist and pulled him behind a nearby tree. He then jerked him down, forcing him into a squatting position. The sudden barrage of rough movements strained his wounded body. A sharp pain settled into his ribs and legs, causing him to wince. Catching the small movement, Shizuo looked at him.

"Oh, sorry. Forgot you were hurt." He took his hands away from Izaya and peered from behind the tree. A few of the men he saw near the entrance were drawing closer. He turned to Izaya, growling with displeasure. "Did you fucking set this up? Thugs don't just hang out at the park you know."

"It's common for yakuza members to settle their disputes in populated places. Unless they found out about your little mishap with Dougen, we should be fine." Izaya stood, trying his best not to let his injuries bother him. "Let's get going though, before we get caught up in this." He boldly stepped out from behind the tree, his hand tightly gripping his flick blade.

* * *

"Yo." One of the men holding an aluminum bat yelled over to Izaya.

"What?" He yelled back, walking back towards the entrance.

"The fuck you think you're going?"

"Home." He replied, as the man quickly stepped closer to him.

"Think you can still get there with two broken legs?" The man smirked, and came running at Izaya. Without missing a beat, the raven jumped back withdrawing his blade. Powerful arms swung the bat at his legs, but it he avoided it with ease. A swift arm drove the blade into the man's cheek, leaving a deep slash. He let out an amused chuckle as his opponent cried out in pain.

"You're too tough for me! Really! I'm horrified." Izaya called, taunting the welder of the aluminum bat. Just as he expected, he lunged at him again. This time the bat had been aimed for his head, but he bolted to the ground and drove the knife into the man's hip. Izaya felt a twinge of pain in his knees after his attack, he couldn't push past it to stand back up before the bat came crashing down into his back. He let out a yelp as the bat crashed into him again.

"You sound pretty fucking horrified to me, short stuff."

* * *

Shizuo had watched the two fight for a few minutes, before he came running from behind the tree and slammed his body against the guy with the bat. He kicked him in the ribs as he made impact with the ground. It felt weird protecting Izaya, but he found it in his best interest. Seeing as the informant would surly survive and find a way to get back at Shizuo for not helping. He grabbed the bat from the thug, and snapped it in half.

"Watch out." Izaya hissed, as he struggled to stand up.

The blond bolted around to catch a powerful fist that was flying towards his face. He jabbed the man in the stomach with his knee, sending him flying. Another man came rushing forward with a wooden plank with nails protruding from it. Shizuo's reaction to it was too slow, and it collided with his face. He let out an aggressive roar as he punched through the board, breaking it. The attacker screeched and stumbled backwards, running into Izaya's standing body.

"You've gotten yourself into a tough situation, ne?." He asked with a smile, stabbing the panicked man in the windpipe with the wind pipe. He made his way over the guy Shizuo had initially attacked, and grabbed him by the hair. He leaned in close to his ear, whispering something only he could hear. "You've fucked up, Takashin. I hired you to rough up the blond. Did you really think you could kill me? That won't bring your girlfriend back." He slammed his head back into the ground, kicking him in the mouth as he faced Shizuo with a devilish grin.

"Let's get going, alright?" He cut menacing glances towards a few of the remaining men he had hired.

"Yeah, right." He nodded, shocked and confused by the situation.

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not have any ownership over the original plot of Durarara!, it's characters, or anything else that relates to the story. I did not write this in search of profit, nor did I write it in the pursuit of fame. I'm simply a fan who greatly admires the end product of Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and whoever else's collaboration. Thank you.**


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